Temple Grandin

Not another tearjerker movie.

I have heard of this movie since the awards season early this year. I thought it’d be loaded heavy drama, and I don’t like the idea of treating myself to a crying-fest even though it has the trophies to prove its worth. But I happily obliged myself to attend a private screening. It is, after all, an HBO award-winning original movie.

"That alone is enough reason to watch me."

Temple Grandin is the inspiring story of, well, Temple Grandin (Claire Danes), an American doctor of Animal Science and a person with high-functioning autism. That’s basically it. Just Google her watch the movie—less drama, more awe, a bit of tears, and lots of laughs.

It's a biopic, if you haven't figured that out yet. (Grandin and Danes)

I have to say I don’t like Danes very much, but for an actor to disappear onscreen and for the audience to see only the character is a feat not all actors can achieve—she did. Temple is a great (read: challenging) character to play, and you just can't help but admire her and the people who supported her. Meaning to say, the supporting cast also made waves, all of them worthy of note:

Julia Ormond as Temple's mother...

Catherine O'Hara as her aunt Ann...

And David Strathairm as her teacher/mentor.

The applause for the credit of making this movie a delight to watch goes to its director Mick Jackson. As an audience, to gain an insight to how Temple thinks in pictures and sees the real world, that was the significant element worthy of the praise and two hours of your viewing time. And I'm not just saying this (or writing this review) because she's "special".


Temple Grandin gets a seven out of ten, for equals parts visual creativity, brilliant acting, and that heartwarming element.



*photos from feelguide.com, tvguide.com, hbo.com, and Colorado State University: Behind the Scenes


**Catch Temple Grandin on HBO Asia premiering on September 2, 10pm.

***Special thanks to the Autism Society Philippines and HBO Asia for the private screening held at Quality Life Discoveries.