It’s not too often I watch a movie that talks about disability in any way.  It’s not because I am unwilling to be open about disability being portrayed in a movie, but because I find most times the representation of people with disabilities in a film or other artistic endeavor is negatively skewed. Some movie roles have shown an inaccurate depiction of what it’s like to have a disability. People with disabilities have been shown as weak, or like they can’t take care of themselves. It always makes me think of characters like Quasimodo and how hard the disability community has had to fight to overcome such antiquated stereotypes.
Since starting the blog, one of my goals has been to increase disability awareness in different areas. One of those areas is disability representation in the media. Continued debate exists about allowing actors with disabilities to fill roles that portray someone with a disability. The other issue is the way people with disabilities are depicted in the media. Because of various reasons, we are depicted mostly in a negative light. It makes me wonder if the way Hollywood shows a person with a disability contributes to overall misconceptions society has surrounding people with disabilities.
The movie I was lucky enough to watch is “The Fault in Our Stars.” There is also a book by the same name. Honestly, I was apprehensive about seeing the movie. I had heard different things about it that made it seem like it was just another movie that shined a negative light on people with disabilities. Despite what I had heard, I decided to give it a chance. I am so glad I did. Although the movie was sad, it gave what I felt was a realistic depiction of living with a disability.
The movie is about two teenagers who meet in a support group and fall in love. They both have different forms of terminal cancer. I was impressed with how the parents of the characters allowed their children to live independently despite their limitations. This can be a scary concept for the parent of a child with a disability. It can also be a very helpful tool for both the parent and the child. The child gets to gain life experiences and the parent can witness their child gaining independence and navigating their lives with resources available to them. When one of the characters got the opportunity to meet her favorite author, the movie was honest and showed the obstacles she faced getting around the city she was visiting. Additionally they didn’t shy away from showing how she overcame the barriers that existed to make it to their meeting place.
I don’t think living with a disability is about sugarcoating things. I really enjoyed how this movie did anything but that. It showed how people with disabilities aspire to do things in life. It also showed how they can realistically accomplish their goals. I was impressed that the movie writers were brave enough to show that people with disabilities could fall in love. This is an aspect of living with a disability that some people are afraid to talk about but happens all the time.
There have been other books and movies that show people with disabilities as people who should be hidden away from mainstream society. Others send the message that they should be protected so much they don’t have the opportunity to enjoy life. That is not what living with a disability is all about. Each person has a different experience with their disability. However, we all deserve to reach the goals we choose to set for ourselves. I felt like this movie made people with disabilities look like real people. Maybe this movie can help make the topic of disability less scary for others who don’t have experience interacting with someone who has a disability.
I would definitely recommend this movie for anyone who likes a comedy, drama and bit of a sad story. I look forward to finding more stories that include disability in such a realistic way.
It gave me renewed hope that maybe in the future people with disabilities and the roles written around these characters aren’t ones of pity and dismay. As a result, society can gain a more realistic foundation of what life is like for people with disabilities.