February 18 marks International Asperger Syndrome Day, in honor of the birthday of its discoverer, Austrian psychiatrist Hans Asperger. Asperger Syndrome is included within the Autism Spectrum Disorders and is much more common than other types of autism, although it is also less well known.
What is Asperger’s syndrome?
Asperger’s syndrome is a set of social disorders in which the person finds it difficult to fit in and understand social protocols, which ultimately leads to maladaptive behaviors and problems interacting with others.
These individuals can live normal lives and be successful in many ways, but their personalities can seem a little strange to others, and it is very easy for someone who does not understand that the person has Asperger’s to feel offended by their behavior. This is evident in the comedy series The Big Bang Theory, with the character Sheldon Cooper.
6 movies about Asperger’s Syndrome
To commemorate this date, at 3Love Inc. we want to highlight six movies that address Asperger’s Syndrome.
Mozart and the Whale. Director: Petter Næss. Year: 2005. Donald (Josh Hartnett), a young taxi driver obsessed with birds and numerical calculations, has Asperger’s syndrome, and his life is governed by strict patterns and routines. In his spare time, he leads a group of people who have the same syndrome. The arrival of the beautiful and complex Isabel (Radha Mitchell) in the group will turn his heart upside down.
Adam. Director: Max Mayer. Year: 2009. This romantic comedy tells the story of Adam (Hugh Dancy), a lonely man with Asperger’s syndrome who falls in love with his neighbor Beth (Rose Byrne). The unlikely and enigmatic relationship they develop reveals the extent to which two people from different worlds can test themselves in search of an extraordinary relationship.
Mary and Max. Director: Adam Elliot. Year: 2009. This animated film tells the story of a pen pal friendship between an 8-year-old Australian girl (Toni Collette) and a 40-year-old man (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who has Asperger’s Syndrome and lives in New York.
My Name Is Khan. Director: Karan Johar. Year: 2010. A Muslim boy from Mumbai has Asperger’s syndrome. As an adult, he falls in love with a single mother living in San Francisco. After the September 11 attacks, Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) is arrested as a suspected terrorist. He is innocent, but his strange behavior does not help him. So, he tries everything possible to meet with the President of the United States to clear his name.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. Director: Stephen Daldry. Year: 2011. Oskar (Thomas Horn) is an 11-year-old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. After the death of his father (Tom Hanks) in the September 11 attacks, Oskar finds a mysterious box with a key and sets out to find what that key can open.
Asperger’s Are Us. Director: Alex Lehmann. Year: 2016. In this documentary, four friends on the autism spectrum have bonded through humor and perform together as the comedy group “Asperger’s Are Us.” Suddenly, they prepare for one last ambitious show before going their separate ways.
