Review: 'The Reason I Jump' a rewarding look at autistic mind

The thoughtful, transformative and deeply empathetic documentary "The Reason I Jump" seeks to illuminate the mysteries of the autistic mind and succeeds with flying colors. 

Jerry Rothwell's documentary is based on the 2007 book by Naoki Higashida, a nonverbal autistic person who details the restlessness inside his head living with autistic spectrum disorder. The same way Higashida's text sought to help readers understand the way his brain functions, Rothwell's film seeks to help viewers see the world through the eyes of someone with autism, using sensory cues to alter the audio and visual experience in a way that is slightly skewed from the reality your brain is used to. It will make you look at the world a little bit differently.  

Rothwell visits with a handful of young people diagnosed with ASD, each with their own set of challenges. In Broadstairs, England, we meet Joss, a teenager whose memories play in his head like "an out of control slideshow," his father explains, so that his recollections of being 3 years old are just as present and vivid as those from last week or a half hour ago. He's also drawn to the hum of electrical boxes, which he can hear from a great distance, and play like a form of music in his head. 

In Arlington, Virginia, we're introduced to Ben and Emma, best friends who communicate using letterboards that allow them to express themselves a single letter at a time. Their thoughts are fully formed and often poetic, demonstrating a deep level of comprehension and understanding of the world around them, and also a fondness for each other that is unbreakable.

Rothwell uses Higashida's text as a base to frame for viewers a world within the world we know. It's a leap of faith that is deeply rewarding. 

agraham@detroitnews.com

@grahamorama

'The Reason I Jump'

GRADE: A-

Not rated: nothing objectionable

Running time: 82 minutes

Starts Friday at Virtual Cinemas, including Detroit Film Theatre and the Michigan Theater