The Disruptors

I am a parent of a fairly young child diagnosed with ADHD and had a lot to relate while watching kids and families with same behaviors and struggles that I deal with on daily basis, however this documentary is non-consequential and exhibits ADHD itself. The narrative keeps jumping between candid snippets from various families, encouraging statements from various medical and psychology experts, interview snippets from celebrities, and even bold suppositions about historical figures with ADHD (although I am pretty sure ADHD diagnosis didn't exist in the times of Einsteins and Teslas or that someone scientifically went back to their medical files and derived a modern diagnosis, so just with these references the movie dilutes the credibility). The result is a hodgepodge of ADHD-related tidbits, most of which are already known to any parent with ADHD child. The movie fails to elaborate on any of them in depth to make the documentary effort meaningful. I suspect it maybe even a medication commercial cleverly disguised as a documentary. Most experts on the record, who at the start of the movie sympathize with ADHD and create an air of trustworthiness, then say in the middle of the movie in a chorus that medicating kids is a great (and surely safe) treatment option. The only other treatment option shown is therapy. The reason why even with blatant product placement for medications I am not even sure what is the point of the movie is due to a lot of points remaining disconnected and unclear in the process of switching the narrations. What was the period of observation for the families and is there a credible trend that kids get better self-control with age? What treatment options did all of the families in the movie seek and what worked and what didn't? Are all the celebrities being interviewed officially diagnosed with ADHD or do they only think they are? How did the selected celebrities actually put their ADHD to use (besides viewers just guessing based on the business they represent or having to do separate research)? If medications are truly so great, why is there a troubling tendency of many teens using them to gain better grades at school (which the movie actually admits)? At best there are partial and non-conclusive hints, like one family describing their struggle using two specific medications, another family that used therapy saying they didn't do meds, and one family maybe using meds (kid shown taken meds, but not mentioned specifically) and no info about other families or what other options have the families explored along the way. Anyway, giving the documentary 5/10 for just the reassurance that there are a lot of kids out there with same symptoms and that the amount of family support and love can make a big difference.

This documentary was a God-send and helped our family immeasurably. We have spent so many years feeling alone and stigmatized about ADHD, and this film liberated us to know that we are not alone and that there is INDEED an upside to ADHD. It's time for society to embrace these creative kids and adults for their talents and high time for school administrators to help educate their teachers and staff on the truth of this diagnosis, so kids are not persecuted and punished for something that is neuro-genetic and neuro-developmental. This film is full of heart and finally reveals the truth about this diagnosis. I would recommend it to kids and parents alike. It's the film we've been waiting for, and it is being watched all over the world.

This documentary is the first all encompassing film about adhd. It's well done and presents the facts, not the myths about one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States.

I wish the movie and even the trailer had less of the "ADHD has a lot of positives" or "ADHD can be a superpower"-type of commentary. It should be made clear that the featured celebrities are successful DESPITE having ADHD, not BECAUSE of it. Plus most of them are super intelligent or otherwise talented.

While the intention to highlight the positives of ADHD is understandable, it's important to maintain a realistic perspective. ADHD presents major challenges that many people struggle with daily, and these challenges should not be sugarcoated.

Success stories are inspiring, but they are NOT the norm for everyone with ADHD. More emphasis on realistic portrayals and the need for proper management and support could make the documentary more relatable and informative.

I am an ADHD parent and have 3 kids one of whom is also an ADHD'er.. I was so relieved I pre screened this documentary and did not show it to my kids. The main focus of the movie and the most screen time is given to beleaguered parents who on balance seem strangely under-uneducated about ADHD or how to effectively work with and support their kids' neurotypes. To be clear, I could relate with a lot of what the parents were saying, but again they also seemed very ignorant and unaware of some things and I could never show this to my ADHD kid, without him coming away feeling like a burden. The film is a supposedly strengths based view of ADHD yet other than a couple 5 second celebrity cameo clips in the beginning it's 37 minutes into the film before any non-negative view is ever presented, and then it veers into negative territory again not long after. 100% of the kids in the film are in the public school system, yet the film is utterly silent on the role that 504s and IEPs, advocacy, and alternative educational approaches can play in supporting ADHD'er kids.

I would say it could be a cathartic film for a parent with zero to very minimal basic info, who just wants to know they are not alone, but don't go looking to this film for any usable information or resources on how to positively support people with ADHD in parenting, how to support them in their education, or as something to show to your kids to help them understand their neurotype.