LIFE, ANIMATED – Review

Disney’s animated films have always been entertaining with their heroic stories and whimsical characters. However, they don’t typically save lives off screen. But that’s what happened with the Suskind family. Owen was a young child when he mentally slipped from this world and began to suffer from severe autism. His parents thought they lost him for good when he stopped speaking, and yet, it was through the magic of film that Owen began communicating with his family.

Director Roger Ross Williams doesn’t try to hide the progress Owen has made and make it into a big reveal. Instead, he intercuts his parents’ anecdotes of the early years and old home videos with current interviews with Owen so that audiences can appreciate his progress right from the onset. It’s through the stories that his parents retell where extraordinary and emotional moments are revealed; like when Owen speaks for the first time after speaking incoherently for so long or how Owen’s father starts a conversation with his son through the help of a familiar character.

LIFE, ANIMATED is filled with so many heartwarming moments that it’s like a fairy tale come to life. You would think that on the surface that the film sounds like an advertisement for Disney, but that’s hardly the case. The film stands on its own with real drama and real people, while the animated Disney clips only accent the journey that is at the center of the film. Williams repeatedly makes points to show that these films aren’t so much of an escape from reality for Owen, but more that they serve as a way for Owen to understand basic emotions like love and pain and the trials and tribulations of life. Even the most cynical critics of the Disney enterprise might find their frozen hearts melting at Owen’s connection with ALADDIN, THE LION KING, and THE LITTLE MERMAID.

Beautifully rendered scenes created for LIFE, ANIMATED depict what might be going on in Owen’s head. We hear how he has trouble navigating through the real world and the constant confusion he feels when dealing with change. This animated world begins as black and white but is eventually shown in color when a story that Owen had written comes to life – creating the ultimate Disney character team-up, which will, no doubt, bring a smile to your face.

Incorporating dazzling animated sequences, interviews with Owen and his family, and footage from the lovable Disney films that helped this amazing boy soar in life, director Roger Ross Williams has delivered a film overflowing with heart and absolute joy. LIFE, ANIMATED is a magical crowd-pleaser that illustrates an incredible man overcoming obstacles in his life, while also celebrating the power and importance of film and art in our world.

Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5

LIFE, ANIMATED opens at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema in St. Louis on Friday, July 29