"Different" movies

So the other day I was in the store, and absent-mindedly turned on the new(ish) Bollywood film My Name Is Khan. I remember loving it when it first came out in late Summer 2010, but I forgot exactly how much until I watched it again. This got me thinking-there seems to be an entire sub-genre of drama films involving the mentally handicapped-and generally these films are thought-provoking and beautifully executed. Though it's a small sub-genre, I think it at least deserves a blog post. So, here's a list of some of my favorite movies that deal with mental handicaps. But beware-most (if not all) of these will leave you with tears in your eyes!

My Name is Khan
As this film was the inspiration for the blog post, I might as well start with it. Starring Bollywood superstars Kajol and Shahrukh Khan, this film is about Rizwan Khan, a Muslim man suffering from Asberger's Syndrome. He moves to San Francisco from India after the death of his mother, where he meets the beautiful and vivacious Mandira (Kajol). They fall in love, get married, and it seems as if they will have a happily ever after. But then 9/11 hits, and they must deal with the reality of bearing the name Khan in a post-9/11 America. Tragedy strikes their family, and Rizwan sets out on a journey to tell the President that he is, in his words, "not a terrorist". Along the way, he meets other Muslim couples struggling with their identity, as well as a small community in Georgia who are down on their luck. He gradually garners media attention, until finally the whole world is watching as he makes his way to see the President.

This film is not only entertaining, but beautifully performed and shot. It is for the most part subtitled, but you will get so caught up in the story you won't even notice. And I guarantee that by the end, you will find yourself in tears. I cannot recommend this movie enough.

Temple Grandin
I will come out and admit that I haven't seen this movie myself. Please don't think it's because I don't want to-it's actually because we only have one copy and people keep renting it. But I can tell you the basics-Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin, a real-life hero for sufferers of Autism. An autistic herself, Grandin went on to do great things for the rights of the mentally handicapped. You may have seen her at the Emmys and Golden Globes cheering on Claire Danes. Danes won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe and received a Satellite and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for her performance. So although I admittedly haven't yet seen the film, it seems like a good bet, at the very least to witness Claire Danes' multi-award-winning performance.

Forrest Gump
Do I even need to give a summary of this one? Tom Hanks. Forrest Gump. Inspirational travels across America. Famous events in American History. It's awesome. If you haven't seen it, climb out from under your chosen boulder of residence and rent it immediately. That is all.
P.S. It also stars Sally Field, Gary Sinise, and Robin Wright. As if Tom Hanks wasn't enough.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape
Leonardo DiCaprio stars in his breakout role as Arnie, the mentally handicapped younger brother of Gilbert Grape, played by a very young (and pretty) Johnny Depp. Gilbert is forced to take care of both Arnie and their obese mother, which gets in the way of his love life-until Becky (Juliette Lewis) steps into his life and shows him that maybe having Arnie for a brother isn't such a curse after all.

Definitely a great sappy family film-and who doesn't love watching Johnny Depp? Or Leo? (The movie also stars Mary Steenbergen and John C. Reilly, rounding out a fantastic cast of character actors.)

The Other Sister
This film is by far the sweetest on this list. Juliette Lewis stars as Carla Tate, a mentally handicapped teenager who wants to go to college, much to the chagrin and concern of her parents, played by Diane Keaton and Tom Skerritt. Carla convinces them to let her go, and she immediately falls in love and gets asked to a dance by a boy. Her parents are concerned that she is being taken advantage of, until they meet him and realize that he is mentally handicapped as well-and that together, Carla and Daniel (played by Giovanni Ribisi) prove that they can face the world better than their parents ever thought.

This is a beautiful movie, with outstanding performances. You will find yourself laughing through tears the whole way through. This is a perfect movie for a girls' night in!

-Posted by Colleen