TEMPLE GRANDIN

Ostensibly, the biopic Temple Grandin is as awkward as the woman herself.  There's something about her odd braying voice and gawky movements that's almost too big for the screen, as if an elbow or a foot is about to suddenly poke out of the side of your TV.  Though it takes a moment to acclimate yourself to the viewing experience, the film does an excellent job of capturing Grandin's world.  It doesn't just show us what it would be like to negotiate the world as an autistic person - it makes us feel what it would be like as well.

At the start of the film, Grandin (Claire Danes) is a teenager spending the summer on her aunt's ranch.  Though she's slightly out of her element, Temple's mother (Juliette Binoche) has told her what to expect and her aunt (Catherine O'Hara) patiently waits out any tantrums.  Neither woman is willing to let Temple off the hook just because she's feeling challenged.  The message is clear: you may not like this, but this is what you have to do.  It's a life lesson we must all come to terms with, but for a young autistic woman, it's nothing short of profound.

Through her summers at the ranch, Temple learns that she has an affinity for livestock.  This leads her to enroll in college to study animal husbandry, a truly remarkable feat for a girl who was never even expected to speak.  Though Temple doesn't exactly fit in, her self-awareness is her saving grace. When she marches into the room like a bull in a China closet, she'll be the first one to tell you that she's autistic and therefore behaves in a certain way.  From there she's free to tell you the rest of what's on her mind, most which is actually quite insightful.

Regardless of the obstacles she faces, Temple Grandin goes on to develop humane livestock practices that are still in use today.  The film itself offers a surprisingly touching character arc, and it's hard to hold back the tears as a girl who doesn't understand emotional cues explains (quite movingly) how her mother is responsible for her success.  We may not all face the obstacles that Grandin did, but her story is proof that with determination and a bit of encouragement anyone can have a full and meaningful life.