It’s hard to think of anything more strongly engrained in the pop culture consciousness than Disney’s canon of animated films.
Whether it’s Peter Pan flying off to Neverland, Cinderella being visited by her fairy godmother or Sebastian the Crab boasting the luxuries of living “under the sea”, its hard to imagine anyone’s childhood not showing at least the faintest traces of Mickey’s gloved fingers. The new documentary from Roger Ross Williams, Life, Animated, offers the effects of these films through the extraordinary life of Owen Suskind.
Diagnosed at the age of three with autism, Owen lost his ability to verbalize his thoughts and interact with his family. This was until his family was able to uncover that despite being silent, Owen had grasped on to the Disney animated films he watched with his family and used the films’ exaggerated characters and situations to make sense of his world again. Based on the best selling book by Owen’s father Ron Suskind, the film simultaneously delves into both Owen’s childhood struggles, while also showing 23 year old Owen prepare to graduate from college and live on his own.
Williams and his creative team’s craft is most clearly exhibited in the scenes of Owen’s childhood where both clips of Disney animated films and original animation from Mac Guff are used to illuminate Owen’s experiences. And though the film may only briefly touch upon some of the darker elements present in his struggle, the film deploys these moments in effective ways. A recurring sequence, which animates a story young Owen wrote, beautifully realizes his experience by showing him as a protector of Disney sidekick characters from the dark forces in his mind he can’t understand. In this moment the audience is granted a glimpse into Owen’s struggle using both the words and visuals he required to convey them to himself.
Along with the remarkable nature of Owen’s childhood, the film’s depiction of his transition to independent life speaks to the universal struggles of growing up. One memorable scene showing Owen pacing around his new apartment on his first night alone feels instantly recognizable to anyone who’s felt shell-shocked their first night on their own in an apartment or dorm, Similarly a very funny scene between Owen and his brother Walt discussing Owen’s relationship with his girlfriend speaks to the many ways his Disney education’s left him unprepared for physical aspects of an adult relationship. In Owen’s transition to adulthood, the audience sees him display the full range of excitement and heartbreak that comes with growing up.
While the film’s structure does touch on clichéd inspirational elements, such as Owen delivering a rousing speech at a conference near the end, the documentary succeeds by telling a story that feels simultaneously illuminating and relatable. Between the support of Owen’s unwavering family, and his own seemingly unshakeable enthusiasm for his Disney love it’s nearly impossible not to remain hopeful as he heads towards the unknown. And while real life may not be as simple as a Disney cartoon, Life, Animated shows the beauty that can come from keeping the magic of those films in your heart.
-Nathan Braun
