Rain Man

Rain Man is the first movie that won Best Picture that I saw in the theatre.  It is also the first movie that was rated R that I saw in the theatre.  It is amazing that my mom even took me to see the movie at 11 years old.  But besides for a few curse words and a short sex scene the movie wasn't too racy for me.  Some of the adult themes might of went over my head but the basic story of two brothers going on a road trip and becoming close friends works for all ages.

Rain Man is about Charlie Babbitt a young hot shot car salesman who after his father dies finds out that he has an autistic older brother Raymond.  When Charlie finds out that most of his father's money will go to this brother he never knew he decides to kidnap Raymond from the institution and try to get some of the money for himself.  On the road trip from Ohio to California the two brothers bond and  have a few crazy adventures together.  In the end Charlie and Raymond become close and Charlie begins to understand the disease that Raymond has.

The movie is a fun and touching movie about two brothers getting to know each other.  The reason the movie works so well is the brilliant performance of Dustin Hoffman as Raymond.  Hoffman makes Raymond feel sympathetic but not pathetic or useless.  It also brought  more attention to the disease of autism.  It showed how someone with the disease can be functional and semi-independent.  Tom Cruise gives a good performance as Charlie and you really believe his transformation from greedy  car salesman to caring brother.

Another reason the movie works is the fine line director Barry Levinson walked between the serious and comedy.  Other Levinson movies like Bandits, Man of the Year, and one of my favorites Toys also walk that fine line.  His movies don't always work but I love how his movies really try to balance the absurd with touching drama especially in Toys where Robin Williams is battling evil toys with old classic toys.  Somehow he makes it very emotional even though it is one of the whole thing is crazy.
 
Overall the movie won 4 academy awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman.  The other big winner in 1988 was Who Framed Roger Rabbit with 6 nominations and winning 4 awards but was not nominated for Best Picture.  The biggest surprise win was Kevin Kline for Best Supporting Actor in A Fish Called Wanda.  Jodi Foster won her first Best Actress award for the Accused and Tom Hanks got his first nomination for Best Actor for Big.  Meryl Streep was nominated for the 6th time in the 80’s for A Cry in the Dark which the only thing I remember about that movie is her shouting half the movie “The dingo took my baby”.  One of the oddest things about the awards in 1988 was that two movies that weren’t nominated for Best Picture were nominated for Best Director.  Those two movies were A Fish Called Wanda and The Last Temptation of Christ taking the spots of Dangerous Liaisons and The Accidental Tourist from the Best Picture nominees.