Do you think the movie RAINMAN accurately portrayed autism?

Question

Could an autistic person really count 246 toothpicks on the floor and all the other stuff like it happened in the movie?

Answer 1

The character in "Rainman" was based on an actual person, and apparently they did a good job of representing what that particular person is like.

The thing about autism is that it is no easier to "accurately portray autism" in the movies than it is to "accurately portray women," or "men," or "Germans," or "Mexicans," or "rich people," or "poor people" or....... anything else!!! A portrayal of any movie character, whether totally fictional or based on an actual person, will accurately resemble only a certain percentage. When a white middle-aged female teacher is depicted in the movie, can I (as a white middle-aged female teacher) closely identify with the character? Maybe, but more likely not. And the point is that individuals with autism are as different from each other (and maybe even more different) than my "peers" are from me. There is no "portrait of autism" any more than there is a "portrait of white female teachers."

As a teacher of special education students, and as the aunt of a young man with autism, my own experience has been that most people with autism do not have the "savant" skills that enabled Raymond in "Rainman" to do the things he did. However, I have known people who could, after hearing it once, tell me my birthdate, the birthdates of my children, the names of my pets, my telephone number, address, zip code, names of my parents and siblings, etc. I also once had a student with autism, who, at age 6, told his mother that he intended to get 50 pieces of candy when he went trick or treating. They went up and down the block, and at a certain point, Freddie handed back 2 pieces to the lady who had given him several candies, saying, "No thank you, no more, got enough." He told his Mom it was time to go home, and when they got home, sure enough, he had exactly 50 pieces.

So Rainman is an accurate portrayal of a particular individual with autism, but it isn't a picture of an "average" person with autism. (Of course, there aren't many movies made about anyone with an "ordinary average life," are there?)

Answer 2

I've worked with autistic people for 15 years and actually met the inspiration for Rainman. Dustin Hoffman actually did portray that man very accurately. Autism does have a wide range that is why it is called a spectrum disorder. I've had a handful of students that were able to do that visual scan to come up with a number. Most autistic 'savants' have some ability that can be amazing like calendar skills (name the day you were born based on the date...tell you what day a holiday will fall on 5 years from now, etc.) math skills (addition, subtraction, etc.), music skills, and phenomenal memory skills (verbal recap of any movie, etc.)

I did like Rainman because it did portray the need for structure and security that autistic people desperately need. I also loved the end when the brothers touched heads....instead of the big hug typical of Hollywood. I think that moment is what resonated with me.

Is the movie an accurate portrayal of all autistic individuals...No....is it a good movie. Absolutely.

Answer 3

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RE:
Do you think the movie RAINMAN accurately portrayed autism?
Could an autistic person really count 246 toothpicks on the floor and all the other stuff like it happened in the movie?

Answer 4

Some can, most cannot. I do think Dustin Hoffman did an EXCELLENT job of portraying a person with autism, however a very verbal person with autism. His character in the movie was more verbal than many people with autism are. However, the way he spoke, the fact that he perseverated on preferred activities/food/etc., all that is CLASSIC autism. My son has autism, and while he has a pretty darned good memory, he couldn't just glance at a box of spilled toothpicks and tell you how many were there. He can read though a spelling list ONCE and usually be able to spell the words correctly.

You have to remember autism is considered a spectrum disorder, there are varying degrees of severity. There are high functioning individuals who are very intelligent and can even live independently, but are considered "nerdy" by the general population (think of any engineer/computer nerd type you know). Then it goes all the way to a completely non-verbal, non-functional person who is unable to care for him/herself, and will need adult assistance for their life.

Answer 5

The guy in Rainman was very well done but autism can have a very wide array of "symptoms" and it varies from person to person. There are some people with autism who you could meet and talk to an dnot even know that have it. THere are other who never learn to communicate verbally. Some are vary brilliant in some areas. It's a fascinating disorder and there is some good info out there on the web.

Answer 6

Of Asperger's yes.
Yet there isnt enough public knowledge of autism in general and how the disorder is on a scale from mild to severe.
When I saw Rainman I thought it was a good portrayal of autism.
Years later I was finishing an Occupational Therapy program and did a clinical rotation in Special Education.
One of my first students was a boy with autism...so I was thinking Rainman. Boy was I way off. He had severe autism with symptoms such as eating everything he got his hands on...chalk, markers, staples...you name it. Hand flapping, no language. It was a wake up call indeed.
I am in my 7th year of working in SpEd and I have seen many kiddos with autism. I also have a nephew with autism. None are the same.
Many do have extraordinary skills like the ones portrayed in the movie. Many of these kids have wonderful memory skills and literally can take pictures in thier mind of thier surroundings and remember it for years.
My nephew who is 3 I think can do this. We have 2 blue rockers yet he has a prefrence to one over the other. To anyone else they look exactly the same. Yet to him he knows the difference before even sitting it them. We have switched the chairs to different spots yet he walks in the house and goes to the exact one he prefers.
The counting is also a big thing because of the excellent visual memory skills and also because many times people with autism overfixate on things such as counting.

Answer 7

There is wide range of autism and it is possible for a person within the autism spectrum disorder to be able to count items quickly. A large number of NASA employees have asbergers, a form of autism. Dustin Hoffman spent a lot time at group homes and at schools with people who had autism. He did an accurate portrayal of an autistic person.

Answer 8

I think that in Rainman, they took every characteristic that a person on the spectrum could have, so therefore it is not an accurate portrayal. Mercury Rising is probably the most accurate portrayal of a child on the spectrum.

Answer 9

NO NO NO ----

This movie took sterotypes and magnified them 1000 times. Please do not think autism is like Rainman.

ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorders range from persons who are high functioning Asperger's to low functioning non-verbal and low IQ. The hi end can be absolutely normal and the low end will need dependant care their whole lives.

Yes, some autisic people hi and low have highly developed abilities - savonts. However, most of us have them buried behind the social norms that get overlayed beginning at birth. See Gardner's Theroy of Multiple Intelligence.

Answer 10

Rainman accurately portayed the life of one savant but not the life of all autistic people. I personally do not believe that any movie would be able to do this because autistic people can be so different from one another.