Being a teenager is rough. Being the new kid at school is even rougher. Add to the mix a mentally impaired brother whose lack of social skills seems to destroy any chance he might have with a beautiful classmate and you've got Thomas Mollison's life.
Thomas (Rhys Wakefield) is the leading man in writer / director Elissa Down's stunning debut, "The Black Balloon," and the story is told through his eyes, however biasedly, faultily and naïvely they may see the world. The touching movie follows Thomas as he desperately desires something he'll never have: a "normal" brother.
His older brother Charlie (Luke Ford) has severe autism and A.D.D., conditions that cause him to frequently lash out at grocery stores, run naked down the street, defecate on the carpet and constantly mortify the 15-year-old Thomas in front of his love interest Jackie (Gemma Ward).
The biggest surprise for him, however, is not when Jackie returns his affection, but when she takes on an overtly caring role in his love-hate relationship with Charlie. At times, she seems too good to be true -- what 14-year-old girl laughs it off when an autistic boy pulls tampons from her backpack with his teeth or runs into her house to urinate while she's in the shower? But then again, this was 1980s-era suburban Queensland, Australia, so perhaps it was a sweeter time?
Jackie shows grace beyond her years and turns out to be a real eye-opener for Thomas, both emotionally and sexually (although, at such young ages, it's quite innocent).
In real life, Down has two autistic brothers, making her first feature film on the topic semi-autobiographical. The result is a realistic and moving look into a strong, loving family doing all they can to deal with the struggles the world has dealt them.
Mom Maggie (Toni Collette, "Little Miss Sunshine") is the glue of the family, maintaining sanity in the house while being extremely pregnant. While she's sympathetic to Thomas' grief, she also plays a big roll in eventual acceptance of his imperfect life.
If it sounds like a typical coming-of-age tale, that's because it is. But it's also a charming and satisfying slice of life with punchy performances and a vivid aesthetic, earning the film 15 awards and 23 nominations at film festivals in Australia and around the globe.
"The Black Balloon" opens in Milwaukee on Friday, April 17 at the Oriental Theatre.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
