Synopsis
Based on the book by Naoki Higashida, filmmaker Jerry Rothwell examines the lives of five non-speaking, autistic youngsters.
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Cast
- Jordan O'DoneganNarrator
- David MitchellSelf
- Donna BudwaySelf
- Emma BudwaySelf
- Jeremy DearSelf
- Joss DearSelf
- Aarti KhuranaSelf
- Amrit KhuranaSelf
- Stevie LeeSelf
- Benjamin McGannSelf
Recommendations
- 100
Screen Daily
Care and respect is evident. Camerawork is beautiful, but in the service of the piece, not beauty itself. Sound design is enveloping, and together they convey worlds of light and water, of the humming from electricity that can travel for miles and of a range of emotions from anxiety to shame that run deeper and more vividly than it seems we can possibly understand. - 90
Variety
Nimbly switching between different lenses and sonic streams, Rothwell invites viewers inside the psychological isolation and overwhelming sensory awareness felt by people at various points on the spectrum, as well as cathartic breakthroughs in expression and connection with others. - 90
Los Angeles Times
It’s a profound, immersive lesson in empathy that should resonate with anyone interested in neurodiversity or simply seeking a more inclusive society. - 83
The Film Stage
While The Reason I Jump is a profound and moving experience, one that isn’t easy to forget, it’s most effective when operating as an experimental work, taking a unique and lyrical approach to a subject that has often focused on the relationships and social struggles its subjects feel. - 83
IndieWire
If Jerry Rothwell’s film version of The Reason I Jump is far more effective and self-possessed than most documentary adaptations of “memoirs” tend to be, that’s largely because it sees Higashida’s book as a lens instead of as a subject, and refracts various other people through it in recognition of the rare tale that’s less important than how it’s translated. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
Aptly enough, it's a work that enlightens and informs but that is also ravishing to behold. - 75
Slant Magazine
The film weaves together the stories of five mostly nonverbal autistic teens to present a rich tapestry of the autistic experience. - 75
The A.V. Club
It’s a blatantly didactic film, yet its focus on advocacy feels justified given the misconceptions that continue to dominate society’s understanding of the autism community.
