THE BLACK BALLOON (2008 Toni Collette Film)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 1:02am

I just got from Netflix the 2008 film THE BLACK BALLOON starring Toni Collette. It's an Australian film which had a very limited release in the US.

I strongly recommend this movie -- a film rich with brave acting and heroic writing. The story, as submitted to IMDB is as follows:

Thomas is turning 16. His dad's in the army and they've just moved to a town in New South Wales; his mom is pregnant; his older brother, Charlie, who's autistic, has his own adolescent sexual issues. Thomas finds Charlie an embarrassment in public, so when Thomas is attracted to Jackie, a girl in his swim class, Charlie presents any number of obstacles when she drops by their house, when the three of them go for a walk, and during a family birthday dinner. Can Thomas find a way enter the world of teen romance and still be his brother's keeper, or is Charlie's disability going to prove more than Thomas can handle?

I have a reawakened respect for all families that raise a child with autism.

When Netflix said I would "love" this movie and I looked at the summary, I must admit I was turned off. I thought to myself "Who wants to see a movie about a family with an autistic kid?" How ignorant. How inconsiderate. How foolish. In my defense, in the past couple years I have seen two plays with autistic themes in addition to a documentary, so the subject had been a bit repetitious. I don't know what made me add the film to the top of my queue, but I did, and I am SO grateful that I happened to followed my instincts in that moment.

I highly recommend you check out this film and if you have second-thoughts because of its subject matter, like I originally did, I ORDER you to disregard them! There are things in the world, like autism, that turn us off for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they make us feel guilty or uncomfortable. If this applies to you in one way, shape or form, then I promise you that you will identify with several of the characters in this film -- This film is for YOU -- and you will be moved.

A bonus on top of this heart-warming story is that you get to see some PHENOMENAL performances by a very strong ensemble of actors.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 1:31am

It's one of the most realistic depictions of a family with a teen with autism I have ever seen. We watched the dinner scene in my office (a non-profit helping parents and teachers deal with children with autism) and we were all just leveled. It was about as real as it gets. I couldn't get over how well the actor played the part. He had all the signs of someone with oral and fine motor issues. *SPOILERISH*: I didn't care for the production at the end. It took me out of the film. A kid with his cognitive disabilities wouldn't be able to do a routine like that. I know it was basic and childish, but someone would have to be with him, hand over hand, shaping the choreography throughout. He couldn't have gone up and down stairs in rhythm by himself. They certainly wouldn't have had two kids, THAT behavioral, on stage at the same time without an aide. I worked hand over hand with a kid for over a year and he still couldn't do YMCA by himself and he wasn't as challenged as Charlie. Other than that, I loved the end. There are no happy endings with a child who has severe autism, but there are happy moments. I think that was the point of the movie.

The movie is on Youtube.

Updated On: 8/9/10 at 01:31 AM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 11:44am

Yes, ***SPOILERS*** the scene at the end was a tad theatrical, but it made me smile.

***END SPOILERS***

Apparently this family is based on an actual family and many moments in this film actually happened to them. The mother was a consultant on the film.