by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
There have certainly been plenty of uncomfortable portrayals of autism since the beginning of cinema. Rain Man is one that does not age well, with its stereotyping delivered by Dustin Hoffman’s performance. 2021’s Music delivered one of the most offensive portrayals of all, with the ridiculous central performance from a neurotypical individual. But you would hope that by 2025, filmmakers could be more respectful and nuanced with their portrayals of autism. Unfortunately, The Unbreakable Boy did not quite get that memo.
How does writer/director Jon Gunn navigate such an issue? Clunkily and with little tact. Jacob Laval’s Austin is a string of so many stereotypes. There are some unexpected elements, including Austin’s penchant for mischief, but it is overall just a tired retread of other “authentic” portrayals of autism. Counting, perseverating, yelling, endless talking, big imagination, and many more traits are so often thrown into films about autism like they are trying to meet a quota. Austin is an earnest kid and with plenty of layers, but there are so many rushed plot points with his character. Some moments are completely out of left field, resolving in minutes of screen time.
But film tries to tackle many more issues than just autism. Austin also has a rare brittle bone disease, which his mother also has. The film navigates those complexities in their lives, but the issues are never given enough time. It also explores bullying, alcoholism, unplanned pregnancies, suicidal thoughts, religion, and a marriage grown out of circumstances and not love. This film is almost two hours, but it never has enough time to really explore them in meaningful ways.
To bring personality to the storytelling, Gunn depicts Austin’s imagination with some vibrant and fun animated sequences which capture a fantastical feeling. It’s an outside-the-box choice, but at least it brings some personality. An even bolder choice is to give the father, Zachary Levi’s Scott, an imaginary friend. This is quite strange, yet it is taken so seriously, being in conflict with the various serious issues that the film is tackling. There is a lack of logic with this friend as well, distracting us from more emotional moments. One scene does succeed, as it leans on this creative choice instead of the weight of the scene. The tone of this film swings wildly, and it is hard to get your bearing straight.
Does the cast at least deliver? Laval is doing his best to be authentic in the role of Austin, and he generally succeeds. The dialogue doesn’t always do him favors, but at least Laval is able to build empathy for Austin. His performance hits a lot of expected beats in terms of behavior, but Laval’s energy brings something sweet and charming.
Meanwhile, Levi is a challenging case. He works in fun moments, and delivers some of his specific charm, but when the film leans into its intensity, he’s just unconvincing. His facial expression aren’t authentic, and are honestly a bit silly. Meghann Fahy, who portrays Levi’s wife, gives a fine performance, with one scene really shining bright with the emotional weight she can deliver. Drew Powell is fun as Scott’s imagery friend, at least makes his character engaging, even if it’s distracting. Gavin Warren fills out the main cast as the family’s second son, but he is written too much like an adult — it is hard to make him convincing at times. Throw in a small Patricia Heaton role, and a pleasant turn from Todd Terry as Levi’s parents, and you have a good bit of support.
The Unbreakable Boy is certainly bubbly and charming in some ways, but it doesn’t deliver enough depth to a serious topic. Then you look at the laundry list of other themes and topics it introduces but doesn’t delivers on, and see there is just too much happening. Some creative choices are just too distracting, leaving the film to be mildly entertaining, but not enough to write home about.
Rating: Didn’t Like It
The Unbreakable Boy is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd