Life, Animated (2016) – Review

Movies can be a big part of our life, not only as a fun hobby to spend time on, but they are also a way to escape from reality. Some people might go to the extreme, like the documentary Cinemania showed for example. Movies are able to change our perspective or teach new life lessons. Some people might have a very special bond with specific type of movies and that’s the case with Owen Suskind. When he was growing up he seemed to be completely normal, but at three years old his development suddenly seemed to stop. He no longer talked and his parents got to hear that he was diagnosed with autism. Owen kept watching Disney cartoons, which he loved. They turned out to be the key to unlocking his mind.

Owen is 25 now and has developed himself which his parents and brother didn’t initially expect. He is about to graduate and has had courses which teach him how to live on his own. But his whole image of the world is based on Disney movies and that regularly results in situations during which he has trouble explaining reality. In Disney movies everyone lives happily ever after and in love, but how do you cope when your girlfriend eventually rejects you? His brother is the one who tries to help him with these issues but does sometimes struggle in getting his point across. Owen himself still watches the movies and when he is alone he walks around mumbling, quoting various characters using their voices.

The Disney movies of course are well-known for their family friendly and warm tone and that’s something you see reflected in Owen. Life, Animated is a great, feel good documentary about a special young man who has managed to surprise everyone. You’d wish more people would look at the world he does.