A weird PSA on autism directed by Oscar winning director Alfonso Cuarón. That's the idea and mostly because the man's name was attached to it so I decided to give it a
shot. As I was watching this it felt really awkward both its repetitive content and its ultimate wronged message (or at least the description made by what autism is). After
some consideration and also reading other reviewers here I got to the ultimate conclusion and analysis that this short is a mess, totally out of line, erratic, and for those
in the autism spectrum is a very offensive ad, not for what it has to show but ultimately for what it has to say.
A voice-over narrates an inner thought from austim (yes, it's a character) who claims itself as a disease with countless problems on the way. You read that right: the ad says austim is a disease. Just by hearing that, anyone with a thoughtful mindset will reject such notion in a heartbeat. The voice-over is using something similar to what alcoholic/narcotics programs use with the "disease letter" where the disease talks to the reader about its ways and damages all through someone's life. A very important device to use when it comes to addicts but to people and children who deal with autism that kind of similar message where its even said autism spread faster than cancer and AIDS isn't helpful nor trustworthy at all. It's a complete misjudgement of those people, and never takes into account how autistics are very functionable in the world of arts, sports, science, music, or any form of labor force despite their difficulties. It never talks about how creative and unique they are in their faculties, it just treats the problems and awkwardness as something to be corrected, treated, prevented and if possible that a cure should be found.
Advocacy group Autism Speaks is behind this weird-looking ad and they're also the backers of "Music", a movie about autism released some years that received a towering backlash from viewers with its depiction of autism. I've never heard of the movie until recently when someone made mention of it and how poorly received it was at the time, and even today it's considered a disaster on the issue. As for the group, it's very clear they get the attention they need from concerned parents who little about autism and the critical remarks from people who know better and treat the issue in a serious manner rather than claiming it's a disease.
By the standards given by an award winning director with an impecable resume, one must wonder if this was in fact made by the director "Children of Men" or the 3rd "Harry Potter" movie (aka the best in the whole franchise). Something tells me a person with same name was behind this wreck. I'm not telling you to watch the PSA but if you take a look on poorly conceived it was and beyond the ideas spread through the narration, I'm talking about the images shot, repeated over and over showing autistic children and some parents. The exact same frame appears time and again in a loop that sometimes changes to a new image but then again it returns. The video format was terrible and ugly-looking.
Very cheap, indeed, so there is no way a master in his craft and aware of the many cinema technologies available could have directed this strange piece. Avoid it at all costs.
1/10.
A voice-over narrates an inner thought from austim (yes, it's a character) who claims itself as a disease with countless problems on the way. You read that right: the ad says austim is a disease. Just by hearing that, anyone with a thoughtful mindset will reject such notion in a heartbeat. The voice-over is using something similar to what alcoholic/narcotics programs use with the "disease letter" where the disease talks to the reader about its ways and damages all through someone's life. A very important device to use when it comes to addicts but to people and children who deal with autism that kind of similar message where its even said autism spread faster than cancer and AIDS isn't helpful nor trustworthy at all. It's a complete misjudgement of those people, and never takes into account how autistics are very functionable in the world of arts, sports, science, music, or any form of labor force despite their difficulties. It never talks about how creative and unique they are in their faculties, it just treats the problems and awkwardness as something to be corrected, treated, prevented and if possible that a cure should be found.
Advocacy group Autism Speaks is behind this weird-looking ad and they're also the backers of "Music", a movie about autism released some years that received a towering backlash from viewers with its depiction of autism. I've never heard of the movie until recently when someone made mention of it and how poorly received it was at the time, and even today it's considered a disaster on the issue. As for the group, it's very clear they get the attention they need from concerned parents who little about autism and the critical remarks from people who know better and treat the issue in a serious manner rather than claiming it's a disease.
By the standards given by an award winning director with an impecable resume, one must wonder if this was in fact made by the director "Children of Men" or the 3rd "Harry Potter" movie (aka the best in the whole franchise). Something tells me a person with same name was behind this wreck. I'm not telling you to watch the PSA but if you take a look on poorly conceived it was and beyond the ideas spread through the narration, I'm talking about the images shot, repeated over and over showing autistic children and some parents. The exact same frame appears time and again in a loop that sometimes changes to a new image but then again it returns. The video format was terrible and ugly-looking.
Very cheap, indeed, so there is no way a master in his craft and aware of the many cinema technologies available could have directed this strange piece. Avoid it at all costs.
1/10.