Life, Animated

[kevinknapman]

A profoundly moving, emotional and inspirational documentary by director Roger Ross Williams, Life, Animated is about Owen Suskind, who, at the age of three completely stopped communicating with those around him.
Diagnosed with autism, the only thing that kept his attention were the Disney films he'd always loved.
His family soon discover that the films are the key to helping him to communicate with the world again.
In the present day, the film follows the now 23 year old Owen as he plans to move into his own place following graduation.

Fair warning. If the slightest thing gets you teary-eyed, Life, Animated will have you weeping buckets.
Whether it's Owen's mother and father, Cornelia and Ron, remembering the moment that the Owen they knew disappeared or Owen himself dealing with the difficulties life can throw at you as an adult, tears are guaranteed.
Luckily there's also a considerable amount of humour and hope to go along with it. Owen himself is a charming guide into what being an autistic child and adult can be like. Plus his dad does a mean Gilbert Gottfried impersonation.
Wonderful animation (aside from the obvious clips) by French animation studio Mac Guff to which brings to life both Owen's younger years and his own Disney-inspired story The Land of Lost Sidekicks.

Essential and powerful viewing, it's released in cinemas today and I can't recommend it highly enough.

[fillumboy2]

So annoyed that with three separate cinema chains locally, with over 40 screens between them and a (supposedly) arts cinema too, there was not a single showing of this film in the area.

We'd have had to schlepp all the way into London to see it.

Despite there being more screens than ever, it seems fewer and fewer "indie" films are being screened at the multiplexes. Not even for a single showing.

Would showing, for example, "Why Him" only 27 times this week instead of 28 and showing "Life, Animated" instead, really generate less income for them?

[yogi]

Kevinknapman's review is spot on, this is very moving and also uplifting at the same time.

It's on iplayer for another few weeks and is well worth a watch.