Rewind

You know what annoys me?

Actors who play retards.

Hold on, don’t get your undapants in a knot—hear me out.

I use the word retard, when in fact I would normally use the term mentally/physically challenged and/or the actual name of a particular condition. Look, I have volunteered with Special Olympics, Meals On Wheels, as well as various other organizations and like most people, I know individuals who are mentally/physically challenged, yet I have never had a single interaction with any of these individuals wherein I walked away and thought to myself, “Wow, what a retard.”

In fact, whenever I hear the word retard I will often think of the actor; the actor whose interpretation and subsequent portrayal of a mentally/physically challenged individual will somehow ironically manage to evoke the thought, “Wow, now that’s a retard!”

So, when an actor signs on to portray the mentally/physically challenged—Down’s Syndrome, Autism, blind, deaf and the lot, as well as those who have been tragically forced to live within the isolated, claustrophobic walls of a giant, plastic bubble—there should be an added proviso within their contract; that in doing so they are thereby automatically eligible to receive a public flogging, as we the viewer will hold the unconditional right to bestow upon said actor should they manage to muck up any plausible depiction of the aforesaid challenged and thereby, through their negligent performance, produce a complete retard.

I believe that a pretentious and opportunistic Hollywood all too often perpetuates and produces this stereotypical retard through their formulaic, melodramatic interpretation of the mentally/physically challenged, which provides a distorted image for the uninformed viewer and fuel for the discriminatory, bigoted viewer.

I don’t mean to imply that all performances are irresponsible, as some are quite accurate, dignified and considerate.

Still some are not necessarily based upon a particular condition, but an amalgam of various conditions. I’m okay with that. As a filmmaker I can appreciate the creativity involved in writing, constructing, becoming and successfully delivering a challenged, complex character.

A few examples--these individuals have been pardoned from said flogging:

Jodie Foster in Nell (but just barely)
Billy Bob Thornton-Sling Blade
Marlee Matlin-Children of a Lesser God (then again, she really is deaf)
Tom Hanks-Forrest Gump
Dustin Hoffman-Rainman (but I never want to see him play a savant again)
Eric Stoltz-Mask (yet I must say that Cher ruined this film for me)
Robert De Niro-Awakenings

To be flogged:

Leonardo Dicaprio-What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
Rosie O’Donnell is highly offensive in Riding The Bus With My Sister

Giovanni Ribisi-The Other Sister
Juliette Lewis-The Other Sister
Ernie Hudson-Hand that Rocks the Cradle
Laura Dern-Mask
Sean Penn-I Am Sam
John Travolta-Boy in the Plastic Bubble (b/c frankly, Travolta isn’t even near as riveting as the real Bubbleboy)

You should know that Kirstie Alley sparked this blog entry through her ridiculous portrayal of a mentally handicapped individual in the Lifetime Original Movie Profoundly Normal, or what I’ve come to call, You Must Be Kidding Me, Kirstie.

Hollywood needs to get over itself; there are plenty of mentally/physically challenged actors available who are capable of representing and portraying the intricacies related to their own conditions.

For example, the actor Max Lewis has Down ‘s Syndrome and portrays the jovial son of a troubled young woman (Cate Blanchett) in Notes On A Scandal, yet the condition does not define his character nor his abilities as an actor; that is, Down’s Syndrome is something he has, not who nor what the character/Max is.








Max and his mother Sandy

When a non-challenged actor portrays the challenged condition it is the challenge that all too often becomes exploited, exaggerated, overanalyzed and gratuitous, wherein the spirit and essence of the challenged human being becomes secondary and superfluous.

We get it Hollywood, you’re diverse—you can be anything you want to be—your talent transcends all logical boundaries; you can drool, drag and limp with great skill and dedication.

But please, enough with the theatrics; stop playing retards and start playing human beings.

Don’t get me started on adult actors who play children.
Yes, I’m talking to you Robin Williams!

jenji