Mum's Monday: Rain Man

When I first went to see this film in my teens, it was because Tom Cruise was in it. However, 15 minutes into it, he was no longer Tom Cruise to me he was Charlie Babbitt, with his own business.

The business is what sees Charlie in financial trouble and starts the journey of this film. When Charlie puts all his money into importing high spec cars, he forgets that there are taxes to pay. This is easily done and as well shown in the film can cause all sorts of problems. Then by chance his estranged father passes away, leaving a 3-million-pound estate, Charlie thinking he is the sole heir believes his money problems are solved. Strangely to Charlie the money has been left in an institution and he cannot think why, so he visits and shockingly finds out he has a brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) who is autistic. The part by Dustin was extremely well researched and acted and he was worthy of the Oscar win for best actor that year.

Charlie is unimpressed with what he has been left, but one of the items is a car which he uses to kidnap Raymond, this is to try and get his hands on the money. Raymond, however won’t fly so the road trip back to Los Angeles begins.

In this film Charlie, at first, is infuriated by Raymond, then we find out why this film is called Rain Man, Charlie couldn’t say Raymond and after an incident when they were younger Raymond was sent to the institution. This is all so brilliantly put together, for a time this film stood out for as one of the best. We, however, also soon see unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you see this film, Charlie learns that Raymond can be an asset. In Las Vegas, Charlie gets him to illegally count cards, nothing is proven, and once the money is made Charlie and Raymond are sent on their way. Charlie thinks him and Raymond has gotten closer forgets that he doesn’t like contact and spooks him. I was left feeling sorry for Charlie he wanted to love his brother and momentarily forgot the dislike of contact. This film has a clever way of proving ‘blood is thicker than water’ or in this case is thicker than money. Proving just how fantastic this film is.

However, during this film, they have both grown and Charlie is not so obsessed with the money and Raymond meets Charlie’s girlfriend Susanna (Valeria Golino) the change in the pair of them is noticeable but you still have to remember Raymond is still autistic and cannot be cured. This film is clever in showing this.

This film takes Charlie on a journey from being so money hungry, he kidnaps this person who is said to be his brother, to finding his brother. This performance was worthy of the Oscar nomination, Tom Cruise received for Best Supporting Actor, but the same year My Left Foot came out and he was pipped at the post by the actress in that film. It did make me think though if that film had come out a year before or the year after Tom would have won his first and only Oscar to date. It just depends on what it is up against.