Temple Grandin - Una donna straordinaria

I saw a documentary on Temple Grandin that I found very inspirational. I had hoped that this film would bring about the same feelings and, thankfully, it did not disappoint. Claire Danes hit a home run with this one; I was really impressed with her portrayal. She went smoothly through the extremes of emotion that Temple felt: terror to delight, anger to pride. The sometimes halting, awkward way that Temple speaks combined with the often too-loud volume must have been difficult for her to mimic. But Danes managed to do it very convincingly. The director, Mick Jackson, should also be proud of what he's accomplished. The addition of the moving cattle diagrams and the distorted sounds really gave the viewer an idea of how Temple's mind works. This is my favorite HBO film since "Something the Lord Made" and I hope it gets the recognition it well deserves.

I'm a parent of a child with high-functioning autism, and while my child's condition isn't nearly as severe as Ms. Grandin's, I was touched and awed by the portrayal in the film on a deeply personal level and as a fan of film.

Not once during the entire film was I able to sit back and say, unequivocally, that's Claire Danes on the screen. Not once, because that was not Claire Danes - it was Temple Grandin, or at the very least what we saw on the screen was %99.999 the character brought to life with an unbelievably immersive portrayal of Ms. Grandin by Ms. Danes.

I've seen those looks, those pensive stares filled with wonder and awe and fear but on a level so completely foreign to those of us who do not have autism. There were moments in this film I was looking right into my child's eyes through that screen.

Ms. Danes is an extraordinary talent, and while I've watched many of her films with interest, I will make it a point to see those I have not yet seen, and will watch with renewed interest and intensity those I have already seen.

Wow...seriously, that's about all I can say about her performance - Wow.

That this production is near onto perfect can readily be documented by the votes cast. That it touches intimately on subjects so personal and universal through a story documenting a case of autism can only be appreciated by viewing it. It is an amazing effort on the part of so many persons bringing this story forward so vividly. Maybe Temple was lucky that doors were not kept out of her reach at times of incredible change; maybe her gifts would not have been realized had she not been strong enough to open the doors herself or been strong enough allow others to help. But luck has nothing to do with the quality of this vision shared. This production is something to which all should aspire.

If this were not a TV movie I would expect it to be listed as an Oscar nominee. The movie is captivating not only for the exceptional acting but providing us with a glimpse into the world of autism. Everything about this movie points to excellence: the writing, the direction, the cinematography and the acting of a superb cast featuring Claire Danes in what must be the role of a lifetime.

The movie is moving in its emotional impact without becoming maudlin. The pace of the movie is quick and takes us through a number of years in the fascinating life of Temple Grandin without losing us or boring us.

Temple Grandin describes herself in the movie as "different not less." I would describe the movie as "different and great."

The cast and the crew may well be in line for Emmys and Golden Globes. If so, let no one say it was because of sympathy for the subject matter. It deserves any awards it wins for the excellence of the production values.

This is TV at its best!

This was a great biopic. The lovely and multi-talented Claire Danes did fantastic work playing an autistic person. I have not seen or met Dr. Temple Grandin in real life, though I have known autistic people in my life and there was never a moment in "Temple Grandin," that wasn't believable.

Addressing the whole "reinforcing the stereotype," situation that constantly come about after films like, "Rain Man," I do not believe the films reinforce stereotypes. It is the mistake of the viewer to make general assumptions based on a single incident.

Temple Grandin shows more about someone with a psychological condition than just having the ability to persistently have a big heart as in "Radio," or "I Am Sam," (important to say that those characters were not autistic)even though they served their own purposes.

Autism is a different way of experiencing the world, but the individuals who are autistic are individuals as any one else. It would be ignorant to say that they are all savants or have special abilities, but if they are immersed in an environment that suits an autistic person's needs and way of thinking, then they can grow, thrive or fail as any other individual in society. As far as the movie illustrates to us, in Temple Grandin's life, she needed to be taught self-reliance, self-awareness, and have her potential recognized and cultivated as well as patient, loving, and understanding emotional support.

Temple Grandin's story explains this all quite well I think. Of course there is an entire spectrum of intelligence levels among autistic people, as there is with people without predisposed psychological conditions, it would be ignorant and cynical to assume otherwise. Temple Grandin is a genius, who happens to be autistic. Fantastic movie.