As a father of a 31 year old autistic son, I can tell you this movie always brings tears to my eyes. Dustin Hoffmans performance is master class and done in a way that gives a glimpse into our world. Tom Cruise also made his bones in this classic.
@TheJedimaster6788 my son is going to be 3 years old in December and has autism. That's exactly how he talks. Super smart and learns new words every day, but he'll forget to make eye connection, respond yes to everything, even if they are opposed things, as in automatic mode, and will show limited affection, although he makes an exception with mom and dad.
And I guess the fundamental thing that the director wanted to say in the movie is that even a prick like Cruise's character can change once triggered with a correct incentive. In this case the "annoying" Raymond suddenly gave him a way out of his own misery in life, being in debt. Once that triggered, Charlie became "human" again and he could form feelings and bonds with people again, in this case especially his brother.
sfprivateer - Not a case of "incentive". Charlie came to love Raymond who is a good soul. That love transformed Charlie, as love can. It is that simple.
I know right and I don't blame Ray for not wanting Dr. Marston to ask him anymore questions, I think Ray got very confused with the question of whether he wants to live with his Brother or Wall Brooke.
He made a clear point. He wanted charlie to live with him at wallbrook. He didn't distinguish difference between two points because he didn't want to. Not because he couldn't.
Sure, but a "normal" person would understand that it was not on the table and even argue for it or choose an available option instead of refusing to engage with the doctor and keeping saying "yeah" like a broken record.
I get tears no matter how many times I see the final scenes of them connecting foreheads and then saying bye on the train. Surely Tom Cruise's best role in anything he ever did.
Wonderful scene so heartwarming yet heartbreaking. You get the feeling Charlie will never again be that horrible person he was at the beginning of the film..
I am heartbroken when I hear Ray say "'Course its 3 minutes till Wapner" after Charlie says he'll see him soon. You can see a part Raymond desperately TRYING to reach the surface and tell Charlie how much he loves him, and Charlie would be absolutely thrilled to hear it, but it's not strong enough and pulled back down into the water by the rest of his brain. He just can't SAY I love you to Charlie, he just can't bring himself to give his little bro a hug even though a part of him wants to. I always get tears in my eyes when Ray says Wapner, even though I know its not the poor guy's fault.
@@poppyfield1619 Well, he's selling Lambos and Ferraris. High-end sports cars. Not exactly a career nice, sweet guys thrive in. Lol. Unless maybe he quit and did something else with his life.
I think the point of the scene double. On one level it appears to show that Raymond is unable to take choices by himself. But on another, it also means that Raymond wanted both things at the same time, and that, autistic or not, is very human. Coming to know Raymond means also learning to understand his language.
Talkin about him wanted both things I came to a similar conclusion where he wanted to be a Walbrook and for Charlie to be with him plus he remembers Charlie from when they were young when Charlie was just a few years old
They missed the part where he spelled out "C-H-A-R-L-I-E my main man" instead of V-E-R-N. Because Charlie is now a source of comfort to him like Vern was.
What I find really touching, is that Raymond’s caretaker had known Raymond and cared for him for ten years and Raymond never touched him. Yet here, with his brother, he initiated gentle touch by pressed their foreheads together. I thought that was sweet.
I live very close to the place they filmed as Wallbrook. It was a place where monks lived. Why did you cut out where Raymond leans his head against Charlie's then Charlie kisses Raymond on his head. So Beautiful.
At the start of the relationship when Charlie grabs his head aggressively in the diner because of the fallen toothpicks he means it in a an angry way, at the end they touch heads in a loving way. ❤
couple of things: Tom should have got the Oscar for this because they worked as a team the scene some will know is that Dustin put his head on tom's head it was just him being natural and it was what got to you most magical scene from one of the best actors around the crying from tom is real Dustin has said many times it was just amazing scene.
I agree. I believe that Cruise should have been the one to actually win for lead actor. Hoffman should have won for Supporting. But the fact that Cruise didn't get nominated in either categories is a disgrace.
This is so hard for me to watch. My son is nonverbal, disabled, epileptic and GDD and sometimes I feel like I'm holding him back from being all he can be. I just can't let go...it's just hard. You see he had TBI and no one knows what happened but I've always been there as his father. His mother left 2015 and now it's 2023 and she still hasn't visited, called or anything. I'm broken and so is my son. I'm sure nobody will even read this but it's heartbreaking for me. I can't even this movie anymore because it's not healthy for me. I always respected this movie but can't do this to myself anymore. Love everyone that you can because we just never know
People do read you, and this movie hits a bit too close to home for me too. I've seen most if not all of these situations end up completely destroying family dynamics, including my own (as a brother, like in the movie). I wish I could share more but I can't do that in a YT comment. The only mildly positive thing I can say is that yes indeed you should keep loving as much as you can, but I would add try not to come to hate those who come up short. Sacrifice is a complicated topic that the world is not really willing to deal with IMO. Good luck to you and your son 💟
It's a strange ending: two brothers separated by two very different lives but have the common ground of family. Even if Raymond can never choose for himself, I get the feeling he's come to understand something more about life outside of Wallbrook in a sense. The way Charlie showed him the world has altered Raymond's perspective and the hold that Raymond's ritualistic behavior once had on him has been broken.
> and the hold that Raymond's ritualistic behavior once had on him has been broken. When Raymond boards the train he says "3 minutes to Wapner". He has the portable TV. He seems to still stick to his routines as far as I can tell. Also, as far as I understand autism, saying that the routines/rituals "have a hold on him" doesn't compute; my understanding is that they're coping mechanisms for dealing with a world that's confusing. If you reduce the confusion for Raymond, he'll reduce the rituals by himself; but if you try to reduce the rituals without reducing the confusion you'll upset him. The rituals are not aversive, the confusion (and potential concomitant anxiety) is.
I can't believe this movie moved me. I work with special needs children and I believe in them so much and they never disappoint me on exceeding my expectations.
some people think differently, i had a step brother named brad that had bipolar, i used to be so mean to him when i was young, i left home to get my own life, 6 years later i came back home for some help, i was broke i lost my jobs i lost my apartment and ASPCA took my cat from me when i went to jail, i went through alot, i sat at the piano my step mother had for years, i started crying, and brad came and gave me a hug from behind and said it's ok, be a happy man.
@@nollieflipcrook he was mean to him because he had bipolar I assume, that's the point, he comes back later in his life and despite him being mean to him for no good reason he still comforts him when he is sad.
@@Clone-up2ge his brother comforts him because he is a good person. Him being mean to his brother for no reason is not what a good person does. Bipolar is not an excuse to be a dick
@@nollieflipcrook no i mean like I assume he was mean to his brother who had bipolar and the brother who had bipolar was the one that comforted him, but he never said his brother (the one with bipolar) was ever mean to him, but I suppose he could have been. I guess the point is that if someone has a mental illness then being mean to them probably isn't gonna make them change their behaviours
It was honestly very manipulative of the doctors to ask Raymond questions they knew he couldn’t differentiate between just to embarrass Charlie and win the argument.
@@goldeneagle8740 Don't forget that Autism was still unknown, even during the late 1980s when Rainman was filmed. Many doctors, notably Psychiatrists, didn't know that Autism was a spectrum disorder, meaning that some of them are high functioning ones who have similar traits to neurotypicals (a term for "normal" people) with genius like traits, some have severe to profound intellectual disabilities, and some have a mild intellectual disability. In fact, prior to the year 2000, only five North Americans with Classical Autism (Pre DSM-IV definition) ever graduated from university. Last person with Classical Autism to graduate from university before the year 2000 was Jackie Barrett from Halifax, Canada, the same Powerlifter who went one to become one of the greatest Special Olympics athletes of all time.
the bond with a brother is inseparable, I've seen it first hand,even those who war,blood is thicker than mud,it transfixes even death,they're such good actors this scene brought tears
I know this one ancient comment--but I thought it would be best if Raymond moved to a local institution in L.A. rather than back to that one that was so far away from him. But... Walbrook is his home now and has been for over a decade. He's rooted himself there.
I think the best place for Raymond was in Dr Bruners care at Wallbrook, there were too many incidents where Raymond felt threatened or uncomfortable when with Charlie sadly. I think Charlie knew that was what was best for him even though he didn’t want to give up his brother
Dam this scene made me cry.. my Dad lost his brother in a horrible car crash when he was younger and he always used to look after him.. I've seen how it's affected Dad and it just made me think, you'd do anything for your brother. I'd do anything for my old man.
They know Raymond would live better outside of the institution with Charlie, therefore they made him answer objectively which is something that's shown in the entire movie, Raymond was not good at. Pressuring him into answering yes or no to complex questions was a sick move by the institution to not let go of a patient.
It's not permanent though since Charlie gets to visit with Raymond at the institution and continue connecting with him in a far safer way than if Raymond lived with him.
What most people wouldn't know is that the silver-haired doctor is the director, Barry Levinson doing a cameo. I always bawl like a sissy at this scene. It's so touching, I love Raymond touches heads when autistics can't do human contact. Fantastic film.
@@princesspony I agree with you. Some people are severely impaired while others are high functioning. All people with autism deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
@@melanieparker no no no, I’m saying that Charlie grabbed him by the neck in the diner because he was frustrated. Now, in the scene we’re watching (if you watched the movie lol) he just misses him
At the beginning vern says Raymond isn't capable of touch but he touched Charlie's head takes a kiss and says Charlie's life is his main man ...x x x x x x.x.x there was progress even if the doctors can't see it there s love there..x x x x x x x x x x 💓💛x x x
I feel that 100000% I saw this film in 1994 when I was 8 years old and this scene in particular made cry every time I saw it and that has not changed now that I am 38
Me too. Charlie treated Ray horribly and physically threaten Ray, when he gets inpatient with him in the whole movie. Until the casino scene then Charlie seen to get close to Ray.
There is no doubt that Hoffman earned the Oscar he won for his role in this movie. His work here may very well be the best performance I've ever witnessed in a dramatic role. In my opinion, this film was also one of Tom Cruise's best performances.
I love this movie although even when Dr. Marston asked the questions, Could've he have rephrased the questions differently to make it easier for Ray to tell him if he wants to live with his Brother in L.A. or go back to Wall Brooke?. For example what Dr. Marston could've asked Ray was "Ray Do you want to live with your Brother in L.A.?" ask him this a few times so he can process this question and if he says yes than it's yes he's wants to live with Charlie. For the second question Dr. Marston could've ask "Ray Do you want to stay with Dr. Bruner at Wall Brooke?" that way Ray knows the second question doesn't involve his Brother. Wouldn't Ray be able to make the choice with one or the other if questions had be asked in this way? all in all great movie!.
I use to not like Tom Cruise in the beginning of his acting career however , that changed later as I learned more about him as a actor. I think he is AWESOME now.
What would realistically happen in a situation like this in real life? Charlies wasn’t abusive, Raymond wasn’t involuntary committed, he wasn’t deemed criminally insane; would the hospital honestly have priority of custody of him over his own brother??
He has the disability, yet the dang shrink can’t tell he wants both? That facility might be “fine,” but they have no social skills or cues. Raymond is a human being and should be treated like such.
Tom was dial in for this entire movie. You know the thing is this is just pure acting. Could you imagine Actors from the mcu in this film? What’s happening here on screen is beyond most of the “actors” in the mcu. This movie was brilliant on every level. And I’d pick watching this over endgame which in my opinion is the best movie of that entire franchise.
As a person living with Autism and learning disability, I was sad to see Raymond Babbitt reinstituitionalized in the end, which goes against the concepts of inclusion and community living. Charlie didn't learn from my mom and dad's experience as they face a similar difficult decision involving me when I was four. The decision was to put me into an institution and my world would evolve with the four walls everyday, or take the risk and raise me on their own. In spite the huge risks they faced, they decided to continue raising me on their own. That's because once you put a love one with a severe developmental disability in an institution, its the same as ending their lives as everything is over, even their freedom to break barriers and become an inspiration for everyone to follow.
I have 2 brothers.. One I’m very close to, and the other I haven’t spoken to in over a decade.. I always end up a blubbering mess by the end of this movie..
I KNOW CHARLIE TECHNICALLY KIDNAPPED RAYMOND but if I, a grown man, suddenly found out that I HAD A BROTHER THE WHOLE TIME then yeah, I'd be pretty pissed to the point of doing something crazy and desperate too. Honestly that 'respected' Dr. Bruner gets me so mad. Just had to vent.😊
I probaly shouldnt of seen this film at the time, I was 7/8 years old and watched Rainman for the first time, even though i was only child at the time but i fully understood all the touching moments in that film. Im 38 years old now and i still cry every time i watch scene, even to the point i have shown my children parts of that film to get them to undertstand we all have natural empathy and compassion within our souls, the way how that film shot and directed with that musical score is masterpeice, how that film can evoke emotion from an 8 year old, beautiful stuff....... Easily one of Tom Crusie's and Dustin Hoffman's greatest ever performances
That "kiss" question was creepy AF. And then the doctor lets loose his sociopathic tendencies on Raymond who can't defend himself; treating him like a toy for his own sick amusement under the guise of professionalism. The underhanded vileness of what's going on is absolutely terrible and it was very common back then and most likely is common now. :-| And to top it all off, Raymond is merely seen as additional funding for Wallbrook. There is no love or compassion there.
Saddest part is the symbolism of which is not shown here. When they show the train leaving, the way Raymond is sitting hes going backwards which is what’s gonna happen to any progress he made with Charlie by going back to the institution 😢😢
To put it this way according.to Charlie it made no sense of where to purchase boxer briefs/shorts correct?well I have the same deal going on with me no matter what,rlb