Temple Grandin

Generally I am not a fan of films "about real life and real people," as it is often used as excuse when a film is "real boring." Also, if I wanted to see "reallife and real people," I could jus walk down the streets. Sometimes, however, real life can be so strange and singular that it couldn't be duplicated in fiction because no one would be able to suspend their disbelief.

The Life of Temple Grandin could be seen like that. A wonderful cockeyed miracle made from hard work and a different perspective. Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin, and Temple Grandin has autism. It's a particularly high end form of autism, but still it doesn't make life easy for Temle Grandin.

This is specially true early on in her life where no one, including herself, has a handle on her condition. It's more than just autism she thinks almost entirely in pictures. This makes her see somethings like engineering very clearly, but it makes other things like learning french a real nightmare. She certainly isn't the type of savant we see in "Rainman." One thing she learns she has a certain empathy with animals. Her condition allows her to see, for example, what would spook a cow. Slowly, her understanding of her condition, her remarkable empath, and a hell of a work ethic come together to create a remarkable career.

Claire Danes has certainly done an incredible job with a role that could have just been fragile and shrill. Mick Jackson did a great job juggling the time and place to keep everything understandable. Also, one also has to thank Temple Grandin herself. It is her words from her books that form the spine of this film and she did a remarkable job communicating a whole new world. As an incredible plus, she is on the commentary track. It is a hoot to listen to her.

This is definitely worth a rental.