Finally got around to watching this last night – such a powerful story and very well-told, I think. Sometimes (well, a lot of times!) I’m not entirely pleased with how disabilities are portrayed in films – it’s way too easy to fall into cliches and limited portrayals of people with disabilities, but I felt this film really worked hard to avoid this and was successful. Of course, Temple Grandin’s story really lends itself to such an adaptation. I think the most important part (well, besides the fact that Temple is smart and driven) is that she had the full support and encouragement of her family at a young age even when the medical establishment was very pessimistic about the prospects of a young child with autism. In a way I think not knowing that much about Moebius (well, besides the scary medical journal article or two!) sort of helped my parents in a way. They were able to follow my lead and really embrace the fact that I was a smart, capable child who faced some obstacles and unique challenges. That set the stage for how I viewed myself and how I approach the world around me. I think this would have remained the same even if I had been born at a time where we had more access to information and networking, but it’s interesting to think about.
Natalie Abbott 