The Unbreakable Boy

While Austin does have more character than Music, feels a bit less like an autism stereotype, and has no real offensive scene (e.g. Prone restraint) except for maybe that one scene where Austin gets the wrong medication and goes ballistic, the movie as a whole still suffers from many of the problems Music had.

The most glaring issue being that the plot focuses more on the parent/caretaker becoming sober than it does about the challenges and uniqueness of being autistic. Not only is this a plot that hits all the beats you would expect from an addiction film, but it takes away the spotlight from what the movie's title is supposedly supposed to be about, the autistic kid.

The second, and this is a bit less of an issue compared to Music, but still a problem, is that the autistic character doesn't feel like a real character. Granted, they do try a little more with giving Austin characteristics outside of his autism (he's talkative and cheerful), but he still doesn't feel like an actual complex human being with motivations, an arc, and depth. And this goes back to the movie not really being about him. The quirks, emotions, and meltdowns he exhibits lack meaning and we have little reason to connect with this character as we don't really see from his perspective. And yes, even the narration feels flat.

The other characters also suffer from the same problem as Austin, yes, even the protagonist (Zachary Levi) feels one-note. All he has about him is his alcoholism. The characters have nothing special about them other than having a few funny and heartwarming moments. Zachary Levi's character also has a strange hallucinatory friend that pops in out of nowhere to support him from time and time and that's all he does. The only character I actually tolerated is Logan, who doesn't even do much in this film. He wants to help his bully, which is a nice quality to have. Unfortunately, his problem gets solved Dharr Man style.

The only consistent positive thing I have to say about it is the acting of everyone. They did what they were given, they were emotionally compelling enough, and they help us connect a little more to the characters and their emotions despite the glaring script. Austin even has speech problems which is a common thing for us autistic folks.

I can see why this film was shelved after the controversy of Music and frankly, it should've stayed shelved. And before you ask, I do recognize this is based on a true story that was written from the father's perspective. I'm aware of that. However, I have not read the book so I do not know how much of this is true.

The Unbreakable Boy was Cinemark's Monday Mystery Movie on February 17. It is an upcoming biographical drama film written and directed by Jon Gunn (the director of last year's Ordinary Angels). It is based on the non-fiction book "The Unbreakable Boy: A Father's Fear, a Son's Courage, and a Story of Unconditional Love," by Scott Michael LeRette and Susy Flory. I'll be honest, even though I'd figured out what the movie would probably be, I wasn't hugely excited about it; I was more in the mood for a rated R film (like the mystery movie being shown at AMC on the same day). However, by the time the film was done, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It tells the story of Austin, an autistic child with brittle bone disease. Austin is a joyful character who sees magic and wonder in the normal, everyday things of life. However, the focus of the film is more on the struggles his parents and younger brother face as they try to navigate how to best care for this child in the midst of the seemingly never-ending challenges created by issues beyond his control. Some people who have already seen this seem to feel it was a bit disrespectful to focus more on Austin's parents instead of him, but this personally worked well for me on multiple levels, because with a person like Austin, they are not the only person affected by their issues. Things like brittle bone disease and autism in particular affect *everyone* around that person. So it seemed only fitting that we also see the struggles his parents went through as they tried their best to care for their son. I enjoyed the balance of humor and sadness as his parents - especially his father - transition from trying to find ways to fix things about Austin that simply can't be fixed to realizing and appreciating that the unmitigated joy Austin has for life (and loving the people around him unconditionally) are lessons they can learn from him themselves. It also helped his father come to terms with the realization that there is nothing really broken about his son after all. While there are faith-based undertones to the film, it isn't anything that felt clunky or ham-fisted in its delivery, and for me it worked well (just like how it worked well for last year's The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) It's a PG film, so it is suited for all audiences, though there are some darker themes that are touched on such as alcoholism and a fractured family. However, the movie handles those themes well. Video review available on my YouTube channel.

I saw the unbreakable boy today. I wondered what everybody else thought about it after I saw the movie. I was surprised to see so many low rating reviews. While this is not a movie that has jaw dropping moments and us predictable. It's incredibly inspiring, and everyone can relate to the movie. It shows the struggles of a family dealing with really hard things which many of us go through hard things even in our normal healthy families I urge everyone to see it. You can learn from it. You can show Hollywood, we want more films like this by your attendance AMC Stubbs Tuesday night free membership six dollars everyone can afford That. Please see it.

I know a guy, probably one the sweetest people you'll ever meet, dealing with a special needs child. He loves his son more than anything and will do anything for him to make life a little easier. I read the reviews and I can't help to wonder how many people here have ever actually met someone with Autism. Because unless you have, there's no possible way you'd understand this film. Perhaps the film was written a little too specifically geared towards people with Autistic children. Still, this guy I know was overwhelmed with emotion because the movie shows the world what parents of Autistic kids deal with daily. It's a constant battle with a society that has very little empathy.

When - 11:05 PM Where - MovieBox Pro With Who - Myself

First Thoughts - This movie is the definition of sweet and heartfelt. Kingdom Story Company once again managed to toe the line between impactful and cheesy, and it created a solid film.

I feel as though every member of the cast are actually trying in their roles, particularly Zachary Levi, Meghann Fahy, and newcomer Jacob Laval as the titular character Auzman. Levi, in particular, as Austin's father Scott, gives a fully fleshed out performance, portraying someone who consistently feels as though he is drowning, without realizing that he is the one doing so with the bottle. Given Levi's well-documented struggles with mental health, his inspiring journey to becoming mentally well, and his work to better others struggling with mental health issues, it truly feels as though he means and feels every word of the script he is speaking. It's as though he has thought every thought and said every word to himself at some point, and yet he still came out the other side. Fahy also gives a solid performance as Teresa, Auzman's mom and Scott's wife. She has quickly shown herself this year to be a really talented actress, specifically in roles that require a lot of emotional bandwidth. Lastly, Laval, as Austin, the star of the show, completely disappeared into this role. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought that they had cast the actual real-life Austin. His performance has a naturally vibrant energy running through it, and it comes across as totally natural.

Does the story go through some familiar beats of the genre? Sure it does. Is it even somewhat predictable? I would say probably for most people.

At the end of the day, does that really matter? I don't think so.

This is a well-made, good-looking movie that tackles some very hard themes in a gentle but accurate way. There is a reason why nearly every production made by Kingdom Story Company ends up being an unprecedented success, and that's because they're good storytellers and are willing to put in the time, money, and effort to make good films.

Overall, this is a solid movie that the whole family can enjoy, and should.