I think you need to stop driveling on about your opinion on 'more useful premises', and I think you're forgetting that stories about triumph over adversity are often, as in this case, true.
You need to respect the people in these movies-who live(d) and breath(ed)-and you need to realise that real people go through things like being told their child has a form of cerebral palsy, autism, Downs Syndrome, whatever the disorder may be.
If cases like this are left undocumented because there have been films in the same vein before, how are we to assume that these cases would ever get into the spotlight, and the generations become enlightened instead of ignorant?
I respect you have the right to your own opinion, but I do not agree with yours, and I believe your statement "Isn't it sweet?..." was callous, rude and uncalled for.
My twin sister has severe Cerebral Palsy, I have minor CP myself, and I know a lot of people with these sorts of disorder who are talented, funny, and genuinely sweet. But they're also human. Your message seems to suggest that
a) you don't feel people with different abilities from you are worth any sort of thought or recognition because 'it's all been seen before'
b) you think people such as quadraplegics can be talked to in a superior and condescending manner and you can get away with it-which is completely out of order
and c) that talent and 'soul' can only come in those without anything disordered in their lives or bodies-which excludes everybody at one stage or another
Sorry to rant, but I felt I had to reply.
Oh, and P.S: Christy Brown wasn't totally paraplegic-he had some control over his left foot-the English Dictionary states that quadraplegia is "paralysis of all four limbs"-he could technically move his left leg and foot.
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blackrockchick
19 years ago
punkstar, I agree with you wholeheartedly and I was somewhat upset by the original poster's comments. I have a mild form CP and although my form is quite mild compared to that of Christy Brown, I can relate to some of his frustrations. He had so many things inside of him and limited ways to express them and I can understand him being a complete prick and an arse sometimes because when you are bitter and mad at the world that can happen. I for one appreciate stories about disabled people (because I am one) but also because their stories give me strength to deal with my own issues and insecurities. For the record he had a soul all along as all people do, but he was angry and afraid, bitter and hurt so he lashed out. Apparently I used to have temper tantrums when I was little before i learned to walk (at age 3) because I didn't like the physical therapy sessions and I wasn't able to walk and move like the other chlidren. I got frustrated and had crying fits and threw things. I was not pleasant. I liked this movie because it showed the reality of things. Disabled people are just these docile constantly happy or out of it beings, they have feelings and some of those feelings are expressed in not-so-nice ways. People who don't know the struggles of disabled people don't understand but I am not here on a crusade for the enlightenment of the "straighter limbbed". I was just sounding off.
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punkstardeluxe14
19 years ago
Know exactly how you feel. I'm fortunate in that my CP doesn't really affect me, just my balance and flexibility, but it's always frustrating when you know you're different-especially when others see it too and think they can treat you any way they wish because of that.
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