3 Compelling Movies That Portray Characters On the Spectrum

by Lewis Robinson

The autism spectrum is a difficult subject to handle, especially when it comes to film. Unfortunately, the film industry hasn't always been kind to those who aren't neurotypical. So, if you're looking for more positive representations, here are three compelling movies that portray characters on the spectrum.

1. What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

What's Eating Gilbert Grape? is one of the most famous movies about autism ever made. While the film centers around Gilbert, a neurotypical young man, Gilbert's younger brother Arnie is focused on heavily. Although it isn't explicitly stated in the film, experienced viewers generally agree that the young man exhibits autistic traits. He practices self-injury, has a low filter in conversation and experiences difficulty judging dangerous situations. The film's plot centers around Gilbert's need to find his own life, despite needing to take care of his morbidly obese mother and autistic brother. Fortunately, the movie doesn't paint Arnie as a villain. Whenever Gilbert lashes out at the teen, he immediately feels regret and apologizes. The movie is also refreshing due to its tone. Sure, it's undeniably a drama. However, Arnie's autistic behaviors aren't fully portrayed as a tragedy. In fact, his behaviors are generally shown as light-hearted moments. The main complaint those in the community may have is that there's no clear definition of Arnie's condition. It may leave viewers wanting to get a sensory processing disorder test.

2. Please Stand By

Please Stand By is a fairly new spectrum-based film that centers around a runaway with Asperger's. This young woman, played by Dakota Fanning, is told by her sister that she is selling the girls' childhood home. This causes the woman (Wendy) to have a meltdown. She insists that she can buy the house by winning a Paramount Pictures screenwriting contest. After all, she's been spending her time writing an epic Star Trek screenplay. When her sister Audrey refuses, Wendy is determined to enter the contest anyway. She escapes her group home with the local dog and embarks on a journey to Los Angeles. This set up results in a lot of hijinks, including bus crashes, attempted robberies and Klingon conversations. Depiction of Asperger's aside, the movie is a lot of fun, especially for Star Trek nerds. When it comes to the movie's actual portrayal of the diagnosis, it seems to be mostly accurate. However, it does fail to portray the amount of anxiety that those on the spectrum generally feel. Despite this, it's a good-hearted film that manages to humanize a character with Asperger's.

3. Adam

Adam is an interesting film as it dives into a less-explored aspect of autism - romance. Specifically, romance with neurotypical people. Although the movie has a bittersweet ending, it does leave the viewer with both hope and a less stygmatized view of those on the spectrum. Unlike many other films on the subject, Adam has a clear diagonsis of Asperger's. The electrical engineer, played by Hugh Dancy, exhibits clear traits of the condition, including having planned meals every night and experiencing extreme sensory overload. Throughout the film, Asperger's Syndrome is explained to the audience through Beth, a teacher and author who gets in a relationship with Adam. When Beth asks what it's like to have Asperger's, Adam responds that it just 'is'. This emphasizes how normal those with Asperger's feel. While the condition is seen as a disability or a tragedy, those on the spectrum don't often identify as disabled. Unfortunately, while the two have chemistry, Adam eventually breaks up with Beth. Despite this, the movie ends with Adam conquering many of his anxieties, showing that his romance with Beth was both valid and beneficial.

Finding good representation can be heartening, even when it has flaws. So, check out these films and see how far Hollywood has come.