Rain Man (1988) [4K UHD Review]

The 1988 drama Rain Man garnered four Oscars including Best Picture for its heartwarming tale of two estranged brothers connecting on a road trip. Dustin Hoffman earned acclaim for his portrayal of Raymond Babbitt, an autistic savant, while Tom Cruise played his selfish brother Charlie. But revisiting Rain Man today reveals an earnest yet limited view of autism from a neurotypical perspective.

I wonder how Zoomers handle Rain Man

Directed by Barry Levinson, the film follows hot shot dealer Charlie as he kidnaps Raymond from an institution after their father’s death. He soon realizes Raymond’s ability to count cards makes him a walking jackpot who Charlie can exploit. But their ensuing road trip forges an emotional bond as Charlie gains understanding of his brother’s special gifts.

Hoffman immerses himself in the precise routines and mannerisms of Raymond’s autism. But the performance centers Raymond’s differences as mysterious riddles for Charlie to solve rather than portraying authentic interiority. Raymond expresses himself through parroting phrases from favorite TV shows rather than his own voice. While sympathetic, the character remains filtered through Charlie’s neurotypical prism.

This was the movie where I learned what Autism was

The film does deserve credit for bringing autism, and Hoffman’s dedicated performance, to mainstream attention in a humanizing way. But its perspective is that of an outsider peering in rather than capturing the actual lived experience. Raymond scaffolds Charlie’s emotional growth but remains a supporting character in Charlie’s redemption arc.

Today, advocacy groups like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network continue the push for more multidimensional autistic characters across media. But unfortunately, Rain Man’s model of autism as an enigma that needs solving by a neurotypical protagonist still persists frequently. The film’s legacy is bittersweet, raising visibility but also entrenching limiting archetypes.

Beyond its portrayal of disability, Rain Man forms an interesting time capsule of America circa 1988. Cruise’s selfish yuppie contrasted with Hoffman’s childlike Raymond reflect opposing values of the era. Their bonding journey channels the nostalgic charm of old-fashioned road trip movies. But an unambiguous happy ending ignores the challenges ahead for their relationship.

As an Oscar-magnet, Rain Man took an admirable first step toward autism inclusion in Hollywood. But the perspective of Raymond as an riddle for his neurotypical brother to decode feels outdated and one-dimensional today. The film opened doors but future works by autistic creators are needed to truly convey authentic experiences.

Rain Man on 4K UHD

Rain Man is freshly arrived on 4K UHD as part of the MVD Marquee Collection. The 2023 4K restoration is the reason why you will pick up the release. As a kid who grew up seeing this film on VHS and HBO for ages, anything above that standard still feels like a fresh new opportunity to watch Rain Man. The commentaries and Dolby Vision/HDR included on the UHD is amazing.

But, it’s not like this movie really is going to show that off. Hell, I wouldn’t think you’d see that sort of visual kapow help out Bull Durham for that matter. So, what does that matter to you? After all, I’ve been hearing from more people with hang-ups on recent A/V Quality presentations.

Let’s put it this way. Classic cinema from the dawn of film to 25 years ago has seen itself getting axed by studios constantly trying to match the algorithm and youthful interests. It’s not enough to blame the MCU and other things. But, the issue is to take these moments we have with Oscar winners and classic cinema to give them the best presentation possible.

MVD Marquee Collection did that and it’s well worth checking out.

Rain Man is now available in 4K from MVD