it a pity this film will not be more widely see . it be an authentic demonstration of what it like to live with one of the most enigmatic of mental disorder and autism and which afflict about one person in 1000 ( the more common and mild asperger syndrome affect about 6 in every thousand ) . elissa down and the maker of the film and have personal experience two of her brother be autistic and with the aid of some truly accomplished act she avoid cheap dramatics and convey some genuine feeling . the family portray have it eccentricity but you could not describe it a dysfunctional . dad ( eric thompson ) and mum ( tony collette ) not only have a strong love for their autistic teenager charlie ( luke ford ) but they have learn to cope with his behaviour . the dramatic tension come from young brother thomas ( rhys wakefield ) who love the brother he have grow up with but find the effect charlie behaviour have on other people hard to take . charlie have a few less than endear habit like throw tantrum at supermarket checkout and burst into other people house to use their toilet . the general adolescent horror of people who be different doesn not help much either have a spastic a a brother be not good for the image . yet thomas develop relationship with neighbour and fellow lifesaving squad member jackie ( gemma ward ) get a positive push from his situation . a director and elissa down have a nice light touch and and the prejudice and distaste the family have to deal with be neatly sketch in . there be plenty of amuse moment while when a fight break out in a bus queue outside a high school several male teacher try ineffectually to stop it and it be the tiny but determined female lifesaving coach who and furiously blow her whistle and restore order . tough army nco dad hold conversation with his teddy bear and the two brother wind up on stage together a dance monkey after charlie original partner throw a tantrum . it have be suggest that autism and which have a strong genetic component and be a variation on normal rather than a defect and but it severely disabling nature mean it have to be regard a a malfunction . autistic savant with freakish mathematic power a la rainman be extremely rare . people with mild form of autism can function quite well in society and but charlie be not one of those and will require care for the rest of his life . all this film be ask be for a little understanding of the pressure on family who have to support people like charlie . i wish one of the commercial channel would show this in prime time instead of the usual reality show crap .