Black balloon

Title: The Black Balloon Release Date: 2008 Director: Elissa Down Screenplay: Elissa Down, Jimmy Jack Production: Australia, United Kingdom Genre: Drama Medical Topic: Autism Description: "The Black Balloon" depicts the life of 16-year-old Thomas (Rhys Wakefield) and his family: his military father and his pregnant mother, who takes care of the household but, above all, her older, autistic son Charlie (Luke Ford). Due to his father’s job, the family is forced to move frequently. Teenager Thomas struggles to adjust to his new surroundings. His sick brother, whom he is ashamed of, further hinders his ability to make friends. When his mother ends up in the hospital, the responsibility of caring for his brother falls on his shoulders. Thomas is torn by conflicting emotions—on the one hand, he loves Charlie, but on the other, he hates the condition; he cannot accept that his brother will never be able to live a normal life without the family’s help. He wonders why this misfortune has befallen his family. With the help of his new girlfriend, the lovely Jackie, he will try to accept his brother’s condition. In the film, we can observe the real impact of autism on areas such as social interaction, reasoning, and communication. Charlie doesn’t speak; he uses only sign language, repeatedly performs the same body movements (rocking back and forth and banging a wooden spoon on the ground), exhibits unusual reactions toward people (exposing himself) and an attachment to objects (a monkey hat), and resists any changes to his routine. If things don’t go his way, he becomes aggressive and has a tendency to self-harm (banging his head on the floor). "Black Balloon" is one of the most interesting films I’ve had the chance to watch recently. I highly recommend it!