The film rainman

[gonzerd]

I really like that movie, for obvious reasons. This might sound out there, but when I first saw it when I was 7 or 8 I just kinda knew I was autistic. I didn't mention it to anyone back then, out of fear, and I'm no Raymond, but there was something there. The behaviours didn't feel weird to me. I did recite comedy routines over and over again, was very particular about stuff, count things compulsively, take things literally (it did take me a while to understand that I should keep crossing the road even if the light turned red halfway through), and a lot later I would actually count cards during lunchbreak black jack sessions at work. In hindsight I'd say that, where other movies and characters would teach me about the world out there (I'd learn phrases, look for ways to interact, scenarios to play out or make sense of what'd happen around me), this character I already knew. It didn't teach me about the others, it taught me something about myself in a way.

Why it has become somewhat of a hated character for some of us is probably because for a long time it was pretty much the only movie around dealing with autism. So it became a major stereotype, for many it was the only depiction of autism they ever saw. And from what I gather, 'rainman' became a preferred term for bullies.

'If you know one aspie, you know one aspie' is the adage. And that's the problem with any movie. It's always going to show a specific case, or cases, and if that's all people see, they'll generalize. I'm sure the same occurs with people who've only seen Temple Grandin, or any other one movie or documentary. One person I knew had only seen some documentary about this autistic dude with a photographic memory who'd draw The New York skyline from heart, and when he heard I was autistic, it took a while to convince him that we don't all have that superpower, or any other. We're a very diverse group of people, and while there are common traits, this doesn't mean one person's trait will also manifest in the next person. Just as with all people.

 

[Kirsty]

I purchased this today on DVD. It was only £3 and brand new. I'm looking forward to watching it tonight.

P.S. I'm not reading any of the comments until I've watched it all. Lol. It's on now, so.... see ya!

 

[toothless]

I have seen Rainman a couple of times, and I find it both really depressing and really funny all at once. I think the reason people don't like being compared to Rainman is because he is so low-functioning, while most of us here are high-functioning. (I don't really like the functioning labels but not sure else how to say it).

Thank you for the Temple Grandin rec, had never heard of it, downloading it now. I've always been a pretty big Claire Danes fan!

Who is speaking for the film? In the movie he is institutionalised. He cannot even tie his own shoes. I would not call that high-functioning. Perhaps this is a hugely outdated definition of high-functioning...

rainman isnt low functioning, the guy is the victim of oldskool institutionalism with learned helplessness and is what id call a high functioning classic autistic man.

i am 'low functioning' and do not relate to rainman,i relate to the autistic character in 'the black balloon' the most-in spite of him being profoundly autistic [with mild to no intellectual disability] VS myself-essentially severely classic autistic until stabilizing in late twenties and being relabelled moderately classic autistic with mild intellectual disability].
i also highly strongly relate to the autistic character in 'after thomas' [based on true story],who is a severely classic autistic boy who comes out of his own world to interact with a dog his parents buy him,but unlike myself he lacked any level of intellectual disability so he was able to adapt and progress in childhood-to the point he went to mainstream school and get GCSEs,but that was partly down to how animals affected him.