Michael Schwartz (5)

Portrayal of a 22 yr old man with Down's syndrom wanting to live his life to the fullest, follow his dream, and be a hero. Stuck in a care center for elderly when his parents abandon him, one might wonder why "there was no other place", yet my own experience in seeking a good home for my 35 yr old son shows that even when there is a system of smaller and more diverse group homes, there isn't often an opening or a good match for the needs of the individuals. This is not just a problem of rural southern states.
There is a secondary plot of Tyler coming to terms with his brother's death, but explored just enough to have us realize that he is really a good guy going thru hard times, not a total loser who doesn't have a job he needs to return to.
The acting isn't always the greatest, but the film is definitely worth watching. I thought I could tell when Zak was reciting memorized lines vs when the words matched his own speech patterns. Or the viewer might just assume that people with Downs always speak hesitatingly with minimal affect.
Because of the swearing, I'm not sure I would recommend it for young children, altho the theme is one they definitely should be exposed to.… (meer)