elissa down have use her personal experience of grow up with two autistic brother and one of whom she describe a a rainman character and and the other the inspiration for charlie and the autistic and adhd afflict brother of thomas . the story be touch and sometimes side splittingly funny and sometimes tragically upsetting and but ultimately uplifting . there isn not a weak performance and and as usual toni collette give a believable portrayal of a mother whose strength hold her family together . luke ford be amazing a charlie and reminiscent of leonardo di caprio in what eat gilbert grape . it good to see an australian film that tackle such a difficult subject and and do so brilliantly .