Review of Rain Man (1988) by Matt F — 04 Jan 2012

Looking at this film again recently showed me that it hasn't aged very well. In fact, it's hard to believe that this movie received as many awards as it did back in 1989, where it almost grossed as much money as "Top Gun" (!).

This is an uneven, emotionally distant account of a self-centered hustler, Charlie (Cruise), who learns that his dead father has left the family's wealthy estate to the brother he never knew he had - the autistic Raymond (Hoffman).

Essentially kidnapping his brother from the institution where he lives, the film segues into a sort of buddy-type road movie, with mixed results. Some of the moments are somewhat poignant, but too much of it feels forced and emotionally staged.

Just as well, Hoffman's charitcature of idiosyncracies of autism further discourages any connection the audience may have with his character. This is a movie that tries too hard to pull at the viewer's heartstrings, usually leading to flat payoffs at the end of scenes.

I usually like Barry Levinson films, but this is an exception. Skip it.