[FilmReview]Life,Animated(2016)7.3/10

Alife-affirmingdocumentaryofasingularautismcase,AmericanjournalistRonSuskind’ssecondsonOwen,diagnosedwithautismattheageof3,findsauniquewaytocommunicatetheoutsideworldthroughDisneyanimationfilms,whosechildren-friendly,all-encompassingcontentscolorfullycondensethenmagnifylifevagariesandemotionalspectrawhichshouldbetooscattershotandoverwhelmingforautisticpatients,soOwenfindshimakeytoenterourprosaicworldwithwhichheaspirestograppleonthecuspofadulthood.FamilyvideofootageandphotosaredeployedtotellthestoryfromthebeginningthroughthecandidrecollectionsofRonandhiswifeCornelia,butcuttingtopresentwhereaseeminglyrathergregariousOwenpresidesoveraDisneyClubscreeningwithotherpatientsprefiguresthatthekidwillbealright,thusticklesustothefamily’swondrousdiscoveryofthetherapeuticfunctionofDisneycartooncorpus,yet,foramorescientificorientedmind,thefilmisconspicuouslyskimpyinincludingexpertopinionsonit,andoptsforamorecloserandsecludedeyeonOwen’sriteofpassagetoliveonhisownfortheveryfirsttime,asthefilmmakersarefullyawareofOwen’sunfeignedcharismainfrontofthecamera,itisanearnest,fulfillingjourneywearevicariouslyexperiencingwithhim,lardedwiththoseiconiccartooncharacterstosignpostanyparticularmoodorsituationthatbefitsOwen’s.DirectorRogerRossWilliamsalsovivifiesOwen’sfantasythroughMacGaff’soriginalanimation,portrayingOwen’sinstinctconnectionwithsidekickcharacters(ratherthanthoseobviousheroes)andhisowndemon(whenabreak-uphitshimhard),allcanbeprojectedtoamoreprofessionalgroundtoexamineitscause-and-effect.Butasaninfotainment,LIFE,ANIMATEDisaimingforsomethingfarbroaderandmoregeneric.ApartfromcameosfromvoiceactorsFreemanandGottfried(JafarandIagorespectively),thisOscar-nominateddocumentarydoesn’tresortstonamedcelebritiestohawkattention,byfocusingonOwenandOwenalone(theonlyotherpatientgetsseveralglimpsesisOwen’sgirlfriend),itisaheartfeltmonographofanuncharacteristiccasestudy,butifoneiswhettedtoknowmoreaboutautisminalargerpicture,thatisamissionLIFE,ANIMATEDhasneitherintentionnorfacultytoaccomplish.referentialentries:TimWardle’sTHREEIDENTICALSTRANGERS(2018,6.6/10);LindaBloodworth-Thomason’sBRIDEGROOM(2013,8.5/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。