Similar to its 1968 companion, 'Charly', Flowers for Algernon, Charly is a mentally disabled young man who goes through experimental surgery that was tested on mice. It makes him a genius, he even gets a girl and learns more in a few weeks than humanly possible... sadly this surgery has side-effects that could leave him dead, as he finds out when his pet lab mouse, Algernon, dies. Can poor Charly ever be what passes for "normal" in his peer group?
These days psychologists think a pill can cure anything, that "turning of" autism, depression, Asperger's syndrome, Down's Syndrome is a necessity in today's age. One such medical treatment is Prozac, an antidepressant used to treat mental illness and mental handicaps. Here in Canada, the pills can be prescribed to children and teens, although they were never even approved for teens in the United States because of the increased risk of suicidal thoughts/behavior that comes with them. Right now it's just pills, society is the experiment, our children, our brothers, sisters, even those of us who suffer mental disabilities and illness. What if soon it isn't pills, it's brain surgery? Brain surgery that poses dangers? What will become of society then? How quickly doctors also forget, being mentally disabled doesn't mean "idiot", "retard" or "moron". There are autistic individuals capable of things the normal mind can't be. People with Asperger's often grow up to be authors, directors, any number of successful careers.
It is difficult to watch Charly deteriorate in the movie, especially the moment when he discovers that he'll never fit in, that he'll always be a certain way and has no control over it. I honestly enjoyed the book more, it was more detailed from Charly's point of view. Still, this TV movie pulls off being an amazing story, with great soundtrack, decent-enough acting and a plot you'll never forget.
These days psychologists think a pill can cure anything, that "turning of" autism, depression, Asperger's syndrome, Down's Syndrome is a necessity in today's age. One such medical treatment is Prozac, an antidepressant used to treat mental illness and mental handicaps. Here in Canada, the pills can be prescribed to children and teens, although they were never even approved for teens in the United States because of the increased risk of suicidal thoughts/behavior that comes with them. Right now it's just pills, society is the experiment, our children, our brothers, sisters, even those of us who suffer mental disabilities and illness. What if soon it isn't pills, it's brain surgery? Brain surgery that poses dangers? What will become of society then? How quickly doctors also forget, being mentally disabled doesn't mean "idiot", "retard" or "moron". There are autistic individuals capable of things the normal mind can't be. People with Asperger's often grow up to be authors, directors, any number of successful careers.
It is difficult to watch Charly deteriorate in the movie, especially the moment when he discovers that he'll never fit in, that he'll always be a certain way and has no control over it. I honestly enjoyed the book more, it was more detailed from Charly's point of view. Still, this TV movie pulls off being an amazing story, with great soundtrack, decent-enough acting and a plot you'll never forget.