They say magic is all around us. Some notice it in ordinary objects and others dismiss it. For 23-year-old Owen Suskind, magic has always been boxed inside a television set, and brought alive by Disney’s world of animation. At the age of three when he began to close himself in his own silent world, his parents Ron and Cornelia used his favourite Disney dialogues – which he understood as well as knew verbatim – to connect with him.
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams, the film is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ron Suskind’s book Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks , Heroes, and Autism which traces the journey of his second son Owen.
The young autistic boy is afraid of growing up. It’s the not the responsibilities of an adult life that scare him, it’s the thought of losing the world of Disney. Had the Oscar-nominated documentary been a feature, Disney’s role in Owen’s life would be dismissed as a corporate brand plug. Thankfully, it’s not fiction, this is real life. Life, Animated is a triumph of a real family but also of cartoons, storytellers, artists and all those who have dared to create.
- Director: Roger Ross Williams
- Starring: Owen Suskind, Ron Suskind, Walter Suskind, Jonathan Freeman, Gilbert Gottfried, Alan Rosenblatt
- Run time: 117 mins
Both informative and inspiring, the documentary does not shy away from addressing uncomfortable topics. It’s heart-warming to see Owen’s older brother Walter try to discuss sex with his sibling. But – fortunately or unfortunately – the concept of sex or even French kissing is non-existent in Disney movies, rendering Walter unsuccessful. However, that doesn’t stop Owen from being in relationship or overcoming first breakup without sulking. He sketches his pain out and does what we all must: takes his broken heart and makes it into art.
With interwoven clips from Disney movies and other illustrations, Life, Animated makes for a delightful and deeply nostalgic watch. Just like in cartoons, victory is inevitable and hope is abundant. So is the case with Life, Animated which overwhelms you with positivity, yet shatters you with the every day struggles of an autistic person. One of the film’s most insightful and powerful moments comes from Owen. It’s his speech at a conference in France, in many ways which encapsulates the movie. It reminds us that our world may not be as lucid as we so smugly deem it to be.
This documentary may not end up getting its due, but if you want to experience magic, the effort to access it will be worth your while.
