Mr. Tourette's class

Production and year: USA, 2008 Original title: Front of the Class Genre: Drama Cast: James Wolk, Dominic Scott Kay, Sarah Drew Medical topic: Tourette's syndrome Description: Little James has an exceptionally difficult childhood. He is completely unable to control his behavior. He has various tics and sometimes spontaneously shouts out random words. And when he gets upset, the situation gets even worse... No wonder the other children think he’s a weirdo. He doesn’t find understanding from his teachers either; even his father seems disappointed. Psychologists claim that the boy’s behavior is caused by stress following his parents’ divorce. Only the boy’s mother is able to believe that he cannot control his own behavior and tries to find a solution to the problem. What seems obvious to us was not the same for James’s surroundings. The film depicts the difficult journey in the fight for understanding and equality. The whole thing has a distinctly Hollywood vibe; everything works out perfectly, and all problems can be solved. This somewhat spoils the overall impression, especially since the story is based on the life of a real person. I don’t think this is a film I’d recommend to a discerning viewer, but it could work great as light and enjoyable entertainment for a Sunday afternoon.