Biographical Film Analysis Essay on 'Temple Grandin' Directed by Mick Jacobson

Introduction

'Temple Grandin' is a biographical film that tells the story of the renowned autism spokesperson, respected author, and animal scientist Temple Grandin. The movie traces her life from a young age to the place she is in the society together with the ups and downs that she has faced throughout this journey. This essay will detail the various challenges she has gone through in life and the crucial support that she received in her quest to overcome her autistic condition.

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Before her breakthrough as an accomplished author and animal scientist, Grandin faced numerous challenges due to her autism condition. One such challenge as can be seen in the film was the confusion of treatment she used to calm herself after observing it being used in cattle. She also had to overcome the sexism that barricaded her entry into the macho world of livestock. There is also a flashback in the film where she recalls being ridiculed and taunted by other children due to her condition (Jacobson, 2010). This reflects the stigma associated with the various mental disorders in the society.

The film director does a splendid of depicting the care and support that Temple Grandin received during her challenges with autism. Medical experts had confused her condition with schizophrenia, claiming that this could have been as a result of inadequate maternal while growing up. They recommend that she be taken to a mental health facility for better. However, her mother did not buy into these explanations and in the movie, there is a moving scene where she pays therapists to come and attend to her autistic daughter (Jacobson, 2010). Her mother did not deny her daughter's condition instead choosing to support her through her challenging journey in life.

Her mother noticed the challenges that her autistic daughter was going through in trying to socialize with others. This made her to organize visits for Grandin to her aunt, Catherine O'Hara, who lived with her ranching husband. This was meant to improve Grandin's social interaction while she worked. It is here that Temple Grandin noticed how cruel the livestock were being treated, whether they were being taken to the dip or for slaughter. She also noticed how the squeeze chute was being used to calm the animals, which she later replicated on herself. Her aunt was instrumental in according her all the necessary support into believing she could become whatever she wanted.

Director Jacobson accurately captures the support that Grandin receives from Dr. Carlock, her teacher who inspires her to pursue animal science the moment he noticed the passion and talent Temple Grandin had towards animals. She uses his inspiration as a springboard to join college where invented her own squeeze chute that she used on herself as a therapeutic gadget for relaxation. She attained a degree in psychology and did her masters in animal science, after which she ventured into the cattle ranch industry where she went on to design new dip layouts that enable the cattle to move freely without being subjected to cruelty or coercion (Jacobson, 2010).

Conclusion

The real-life story of Temple Grandin is an inspiration to many people, especially those affected by various mental disorders. Director Mick Jacobson injects a cinematographic touch to the story through this film thus helping to bring out the underlying themes of tolerance, understanding, caring, and support that the society should accord people with different mental conditions. This is because their lives are full of challenges already and it is up to the society to simplify such peoples' journey instead of inflicting them with more trauma.

Reference

Jacobson, M. (Director). (2010). Temple Grandin [Motion Picture].