Media Analysis 2
The movie Rain Man, starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, is about a man (Charles Babbit) who’s wealthy father dies and leaves all the money to a Mr. Raymond Babbit. In the story Charlie does not even know he has an older brother named Raymond because Ray was placed in a mental institution long before Charles was old enough to know the difference.
In the movie, Raymond is an autistic savant which “researcher Darold Treffert defines as a rare condition in which persons with developmental disorders (including autism spectrum disorders) have one or more areas of expertise, ability or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual’s overall limitations”. In the case of Ray, his area of expertise is mathematics and memory, and it is really amazing what he is able to do. He can instantly count the number of toothpicks on the floor after they have been accidentally dropped from a box, he can remember almost every television show-time, show, every baseball player, what team they played on etc.
When Charles finally meets his brother, finds out it his brother, and discovers his unexpected talent, he brings him to Las Vegas where he sees potential for his brother counting cards in Blackjack. Throughout the movie, there are many times when Charlie has trouble controlling his brother as well as many times when they seem to get along wonderfully. And by the end of the book, when there is a hearing to determine the if Charlie should retain custody of his brother from then on, Charlie realized he actually cares about Ray and that he wants the custody.
The movie gives people a slightly unrealistic, but plausible interpretation of a person with a mental illness. People who watch the movie will come away with the understanding that people with mental illness’s are usually challenged in one or two ways, while the rest of their body is perfectly normal and healthy like everybody else. In this particular case, people might even see that people with a mental illness may even have their own strengths that would make a normal person marvel at them. I believe that this movie gives puts a good portrayal of mental illness in the minds of people as they watch, not to mention that it also hits a note of truth as well, and people should realize that as well.
Okay, I like your concluding comments about the film. Can you supply links to Treffert’s comments and perhaps to a scene from the film?