Autism in films and TV dramas

I'm still undecided about the portrayal of a high-functioning autistic in The Accountant. I naturally identified with some of the behaviours. But it's all a little bit too stereotypical, I think. If anything, the character's more of an obsessive-compulsive sociopath. And if people go away from the film thinking that this is what an Aspie is like... well... make up your own minds. To be honest, though, I much preferred this portrayal than that in Rainman, or Sheldon in BBT.  In some ways, though, perhaps they're all kind of stereotypes.

I like the speech at the end, given by a therapist to the parents of a child whom they think of as 'lost' to autism.

'1 in 68 children in this country are diagnosed with a form of autism. But if you can put aside for a moment what your paediatrician and all the NTs have said about your son. What if we're wrong? What if we've been using the wrong tests to quantify the intelligence of children with autism. Your son's not less than. He's different. Now, your expectations for your son may change over time. They might include marriage, children, self-sufficiency - and they might not. But I guarantee you, if we let the world set expectations for our children, they'll start low... and they'll stay there. Maybe your son's capable of much more than you know. And maybe, just maybe, he doesn't understand how to tell us. Or... we haven't yet learned how to listen.'

The Accountant

I'm still undecided about the portrayal of a high-functioning autistic in The Accountant. I naturally identified with some of the behaviours. But it's all a little bit too stereotypical, I think. If anything, the character's more of an obsessive-compulsive sociopath. And if people go away from the film thinking that this is what an Aspie is like... well... make up your own minds. To be honest, though, I much preferred this portrayal than that in Rainman, or Sheldon in BBT.  In some ways, though, perhaps they're all kind of stereotypes.

I like the speech at the end, given by a therapist to the parents of a child whom they think of as 'lost' to autism.

'1 in 68 children in this country are diagnosed with a form of autism. But if you can put aside for a moment what your paediatrician and all the NTs have said about your son. What if we're wrong? What if we've been using the wrong tests to quantify the intelligence of children with autism. Your son's not less than. He's different. Now, your expectations for your son may change over time. They might include marriage, children, self-sufficiency - and they might not. But I guarantee you, if we let the world set expectations for our children, they'll start low... and they'll stay there. Maybe your son's capable of much more than you know. And maybe, just maybe, he doesn't understand how to tell us. Or... we haven't yet learned how to listen.'

The Accountant

Here's a scene that always makes me chuckle.  That telling sense of irritation when someone else tries to muscle in on your private time....

The Accountant Lunch Scene