Review of Life, Animated (2016) by Luke E — 01 Aug 2016

In 'Life Animated', Roger Ross Williams constructs a very intimate and uplifting portrait of an autistic young man who used Disney animated films as his gateway to getting through life. Throughout the film we see how Owen Suskind became a depraved Autistic boy not able to communicate socially or verbally, though it's only by tapping into his Disney obsessed childhood that he was able to open up to others in a very endearing manner that we eventually see within the documentary's drama.

Though it's always fascinating to see how Owen can become a figure for various Autistic kids to look up to, it's the more abstract animated visions of Owen's world and thoughts that eventually become the most eye catching sequences of the film.

In a way the film's animated segments give our main subject's subconsciousness a little more light as well as other various flashbacks that play with a child version of Owen. Overall, this might one of the best documentary's of the entire year, I don't think I've seen Autistic people viewed in such an uplifting and fascinating light unless of course it was glamorized by Hollywood in either 'Rainman' or 'Forrest Gump'.

Sad to say this film might beat both of those fictionally conceived flicks, this is Highly Recommended for almost everyone and I mean Everyone!!! to really just see and be amazed by it's unique sense and exploration.