Should you watch Life, Animated?
Who it’s good for, who it isn’t, and what’s in it. No ratings, no scores.

Life, Animated
Documentary · 2016
At three years old, a chatty, energetic little boy named Owen Suskind ceased to speak, disappearing into autism with apparently no way out. Almost four years passed and the only stimuli that engaged Owen were Disney films. Then one day, his father donned a puppet—Iago, the wisecracking parrot from Aladdin—and asked “what’s it like to be you?” And poof! Owen replied, with dialogue from the movie. Life, Animated tells the remarkable story of how Owen found in Disney animation a pathway to language and a framework for making sense of the world.
The sides of Life, Animated
- A boy with autism who speaks through Disney films
- A family learning his language
- Owen growing up and living on his own
Life, Animated is good for you if…
- you like parents and a brother finding a way to reach Owen.
- you're ready to cry when a puppet of Iago gets a reply.
- you like following Owen as he grows up and moves out.
Life, Animated is bad for you if…
- you'd rather a story that doesn't end on hope.
- you roll your eyes at heartfelt family moments.
About: autism · communication · family love
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