The Little Mermaid Teaches Autistic Children Writing Skills

The composer of "Life, Animated" is visiting Portland's Fox Tower.

By Amy Wolfe

For most of us, The Little Mermaid was an under-the-sea sing-along and The Lion King our entree to the circle-of-life lesson, but for Owen Suskind, animation was vital for developing his reading, writing and communication skills. Life, Animated spotlights the Suskind family, based on father Ron Suskind's book about raising his son with animation. From Owen's initial autism diagnosis to the now-23-year-old moving out of his parents' home, the film is conversational, with one-on-one interviews with each family member. It's hard to hate Disney while watching Owen communicate flawlessly through memorized movie lines as cartoons play onscreen, presenting an intimate picture of life according to Owen.

Rated PG.

Critic's Grade: A

Composer Dylan Stark will be in attendance and host a Q&A after the Saturday screening at Fox Tower.

See it: Regal Fox Tower, 846 SW Park Ave., 7:10 pm Saturday, July 16.

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Amy Wolfe

Amy Wolfe

Amy contributes bits and pieces to the Arts and Culture section. She's a caffeine addict, culture seeker, and city deller. @AMW1989

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