MovieChat Forums > Snow Cake (2006) Discussion > Anyone with autism see this?

Anyone with autism see this?


My son has Asperger's and I couldn't get past the first scene with Sigourney. I had to turn the movie off. It rang so false. Based on my personal experience, somebody on the autism spectrum who just got bad news would be likely to have a face that was rigid and mask-like....and they would look scared. One hundred percent normal feelings would be there underneath, but the person on the spectrum would have trouble dealing with their own emotions and those of others. Not like in the movie. Childishness and "Oooh, sparklies" is more cinematic I guess.

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In my experience, of both adults and children with autism, I don't think you can generalise. Each individual I met had various different ways in which their autistic tendencies manifested themselves - some much more obviously than others.

I thought Weaver's performance was very good and she reminded me of people I had met who had autism. The character had to be high functioning and "quirky" for want of a better word because this is a film - films need characters that engage the audience. It was truer than Hoffman's "Rainman" and more moving.

It is true that the person on the spectrum would have trouble dealing with their own emotions and those of others - I saw this in the movie a lot.

However, I would be interested in replies to the original question? Has anyone with autism seen this?

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Additionally, Angela Pell (the writer) based Linda off of her own son, who is autistic. I'm sure she changed some things to make her more workable as a film character, but overall I think it's just a side of autism that isn't very widespread. And as was already mentioned, Weaver studied for a long time with a woman who is autistic, so I'm sure a lot of her mannerisms were pulled directly from her. I guess she just portrayed an autism very different from what the OP is familiar with.

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I saw the movie and Linda reminded me a lot of me in my teens. I was very obsessed about keeping the house clean and I hated when people leave things out of place or track dirt in or wear shoes on the floor. I also loved jumping when I was little and I ate snow and still do if we got any. It's rare to get snow here in Portland, happens at least once a year. OCD is very common in us on the spectrum.

I thought it was accurate how Linda acted because I have been on autism forums and I have seen aspies saying how they didn't cry or feel sad when their grandparents die. I didn't feel sad when my grandfather died. I didn't cry when my great aunt died or my great uncle but my parents and no one else was sad when my great uncle died because he was ready to die because he was in pain. My great aunt on the other hand, I was only 11 when she died and everyone cried. Some people cried when my grandfather died but I didn't cry because he was old and he couldn't do anything and his memory was gone. But I think I be sad if I lost my own child, that mean I wouldn't have a grand child. I am sure Linda felt sad too and was upset about it but just didn't know how to show it. I noticed how she kept following her routine and didn't mourn over her daughter's death. I know most people would mourn and not want to go to work but I am not sure how they spend their time alone. I also noticed how Linda didn't cry at her own daughter's funeral but most people would cry over the lost of their loved one, my mom cried when my grandfather died and my great aunt, my cousin cried too over my grandfather's death. I can't remember if others cried or not.



http://s10.invisionfree.com/Nova_Infinity/

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My aunt on my mother's side has autism and she has similar behaviours to the character in this movie...she's about 41 and she has a similar job, just doing filing at a doctor's office. routine stuff. as for the opinion that the performance wasnt accurate...i think its a 'case-by-case' thing. you cant generalise. i dont think people should take the portrayal personally and get offended... The writer of the film apparantly based the character on her own autistic son's qualities, so i guess it realy does depend on the individual.

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No

http://s10.invisionfree.com/Nova_Infinity/

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