Rain Man (Special Edition) Reviews

• 246 toothpicks, "counting cards" and lessons in love.

  
  By A3D6TFYRMIV3ZL on 2004-03-15
  Have you ever had to communicate with someone on a different wavelength as you; for example because he speaks a foreign language and you don't have an interpreter, or because he is unable to communicate verbally at all, or maybe just because you keep misunderstanding each other? If so, you know what a frustrating experience it is to have virtually no control over the situation and over making sure that you're actually understood. And in precisely this situation finds himself Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise), personification of the 1980s' yuppie, a used car dealer with major money problems whose only - tentative - personal attachment is to his current girlfriend Susanna (Valeria Golino). Because having learned that except for a few rosebushes and a vintage 1949 Buick Roadmaster his recently-deceased father has left virtually all of his considerable fortune to his autistic brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) - a brother he didn't even know he had - Charlie decides to kidnap Raymond from the Cincinnati facility where he lives, take him to California, and demand half the inheritance in exchange for his brother's return.
  
  Now, Charlie isn't the greatest communicator himself; at least as far as listening goes; he is used to talking people down, and if that alone doesn't do the trick, he starts to yell. This, however, just doesn't work with Raymond, who lives in a world of his own and, unable to express emotion in any other way, falls into a nervous tic when feeling threatened. So for the first time in his life Charlie has to learn to accept another human being for what he is, and work *with* his bewildering methods of communication rather than against them. And subtly, very subtly, Charlie begins to change, until at last he no longer wants to relinquish custody of Raymond even after having been offered a substantial amount of money: because now money is no longer an issue at all; now it's all about genuine love for a newly-found brother and very special person.
  
  "Rain Man" is ostensibly told from Charlie's perspective; through his, the "normal" guy's eyes we perceive Raymond's habits, tics and strange behavioral code. And even if Charlie is easy enough to snub for his superficiality and materialism, his frustration at his inability to communicate with his brother feels genuine and is something we can empathize with(albeit perhaps inadmittedly). Tom Cruise plays Charlie with a finely-tuned mix of audacity and reluctant emotion; turning a role that seems to start out as just another Cruise cliche into a character who hesitantly comes to realize his own complexities and shortcomings and learns to appreciate sensitivity, compassion and love - yet, without ever taking the role that treacherous step too far into sentimentality.
  
  Still, important as Charlie's character is for this movie's narrative, this is from first to last Raymond's story; and by the same token Dustin Hoffman's, because the two individuals are in fact inseparable: As Hoffman once explained in an interview, he rejects the notion that acting is merely about playing a role, or that the term "my character" could ever appropriately describe his approach to a role; emphasizing that in every part he plays, he truly has to *become* the individual in question to fully be able to understand and portray him. As such, his achievement with Raymond Babbitt is breathtaking indeed; for in a role which not only imposes severe limitations on his ability to communicate traditionally but also gives him virtually no opportunity to express emotion, he conveys Raymond's frailties, unexpected strengths and, significantly, his profound humanity in a manner that lets you forget you're even looking at a piece of acting, thus accomplishing that rare feat only attained by the greatest of actors - and even among Dustin Hoffman's spectacular performances, this one stands out in particular. (He did, of course, win both the Oscar and the Golden Globe for this movie; but somehow even the industry's highest awards don't begin to express the significance of his achievement.)
  
  Raymond Babbitt's character was based on several real-life autistic persons; and at a time when little was known about the condition even in the medical community, contributed substantially to a greater understanding of those afflicted with it. Not all autistic people are so-called "savants" like Raymond, i.e. possess genial mathematic or other abilities within the shell separating them from the outside world (and conversely, not with all of them that shell is as thick as in Raymond's case; although intricate routines do tend to play a rather important role) - so don't go rushing off with them to Vegas for an exercise in "counting cards," at least not before you've verified that they can memorize entire phone books (at least up to the letter "G"), count the toothpicks in a pile on the floor with one glimpse of an eye and determine the square root of a four- or five-digit number within a matter of seconds without so much as looking at an electronic calculator. Chances are you'd do them tremendous harm, not to mention make a complete fool of yourself.
  
  Dustin Hoffman reportedly fought hard for this movie's production even after several directors (including, inter alia, Stephen Spielberg) had bowed out; and in one of those rare un-Hollywood-like moments even managed to maintain the movie's sense of authenticity up to the very end by prevailing on the writers to drop the projected ending, which would have had Raymond staying with Charlie. - In addition to Hoffman's awards, "Rain Man" received the coveted Oscars for Best Movie, Best Original Screenplay and Best Director (Barry Levinson, who also played the psychiatrist called upon to evaluate whether Raymond is fit to stay with Charlie), plus a number of other American and international awards. For once, the industry collectively got it right. But even if this movie hadn't received a single award, it would still remain one of recent film history's greatest and truly unforgettable moments - definitely, it would.
  
  Also recommended:
  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
  Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew
  Awakenings
  Lorenzo's Oil
  The Graduate (40th Anniversary Collector's Edition)
  The Color of Money
  
  

• Rain Man Review

  
  By A37CLG541X73FC on 1999-12-18
  In response to the movie "Rain Man", I felt that the role played by Dustin Hoffman (Raymond Babbitt) was unbelievable. Dustin Hoffman is a great actor as the Rain Man, and demonstrates incredibly well how an autistic person reacts towards certain things as well as changes in his routine life. He captures autism in such a way that you could actually believe in his performance. I was amazed at the way he was able to pull off this role.

  Tom Cruise's role (Charlie Babbitt) was equally as brilliant, who is the villain of the story who undergoes such a sharp change that it's almost not visible until nearly the end. Charlie is shown to be a selfish and greedy jerk at the beginning of the film, but as mentioned before, his gradual understanding of his brother's disability, and extra abilities, are what eventually leads to the grasping of a strong relationship with his brother. Tom Cruise, in my opinion, was perfectly suited for the flashy, egotistical character of Charlie, and I think he did a great job.

  Furthermore, the directing of the film was beautiful, for the most part just letting the action unfold, which is exactly the way it should have been done. I also believe that "Rain Man" portrays many aspects of autism quite well. The movie is an introduction to autism for most people who see it for the first time. In summary, Charlie Babbitt, played by Tom Cruise, is a self-centered car dealer, and leaves on vacation with his girlfriend Susanna, played by Valeria Golino. However, on route with his girlfriend, he unfortunately learns that his father who threw him out as a teenager has passed away, and decides to show up at his funeral for only one reason, to get the money his father left behind. Upon arriving for the funeral, Charlie learns that his father left him a now antique convertible, which he originally loved and wanted in his teen years, but which his father never let him drive. Unfortunately for Charlie, he can't get the money which he truly desired, since he discovers that it has been given to a mental institution Charlie is unaware of. Charlie therefore decides to take matters in his own hands and goes to the institution to find out what their connection with his father was. It is only then that he learns that he has a big brother by the name of Raymond, played by Dustin Hoffman, who is autistic and lives in this institution. Charlie tries to convince the manager of the institution to let him have the money, since his brother can't do nothing with it because he doesn't even understand the concept of money. The manager of the institution refuses to give him the money, because he promised Charlie's father that he'd make sure to leave it to Raymond no matter what happened. Charlie is enraged by what has happened and by his father keeping Raymond's existence from him his entire life. As a result, Charlie takes Raymond out of the institution without the permission of the manager, and this is how Charlie gets to know his big brother Raymond. The two begin a long road trip that will lead them to an understanding of each other, and I believe that this trip across the country was the start in the relationship between the two brothers.

  This movie was very emotional at some times, and had it's funny moments as well. I believe that "Rain Man" is truly a work of art, and a film that everyone can watch, understand, and enjoy.
  
  

• Rain Man - Autistic Man, Artistic Film

  
  By A2Q07KQAAFWVL7 on 2001-04-28
  What can you say about a movie that deals with a subject not usually tackled? Of course, there was 1968's CHARLY, starring Cliff Robertson (Best Actor Oscar-winner) and Claire Bloom, that gave us an in-depth look at "special" people, mostly especially, autistic people.

  Dustin Hoffman is Raymond Babbitt, the titular character. Tom Cruise, in an excellent role that even impressed me (and I'm not at all a Tom Cruise fan) plays his conniving, selfish brother Charlie Babbitt. Thrown in the mix with them is the beautiful Italian actress Valeria Golino, who plays Cruise's compassionate girlfriend.

  You have to love this film! Why? Because of two men, Cruise and Best Actor winner Hoffman (winning his second award since 1979's KRAMER VS. KRAMER). They are what pulls us into their world, and keeps us there until the very end when Charlie sadly puts Raymond on a train back to the sanitorium. (I admit, as a man, I cried repeatedly during this scene -- and still do!) It begins with the death of the brothers' father, a rich man who was estranged from Charlie and never even spoken about Raymond. When he dies, Charlie is given a beautiful 1940s convertible (and his father's prize roses). Upon hearing that this brother of his has inherited their father's fortune, Charlie decides to find him and eventually "kidnap" him.

  His greedy selfishness is obvious from the first scene of the film. Eventually, his girlfriend has enough of this and leaves him alone with his brother. (She eventually comes back to him in Las Vegas.) During their cross-country journey, Charlie realizes how important having a brother is, citing that he always felt alone and that how happy he was to know that Raymond was his brother. Beautiful and human, yet not too sappy and saccharine! Even though Charlie proves to have an alterior motive for Raymond, you can't help but like the character (since he does provide some laughs). Cruise eventually plays the same character in 1996's JERRY MAGUIRE.

  And, of course, there's Hoffman! Virtually stealing every scene he is in. From his quips: "I'm an excellent driver" to his Abbott & Costello "Who's on First" bit, you can't help but fall in love with this silly, but poignant character. What also clinches the tears for me, other than the departing scene on the train, are the end credits. Yes, that's right, the credits! Here's why. Even notice that Raymond is taking pictures? If you do, then you should know that those are the pictures taken in the end credits. We're actually SEEING what Raymond is seeing; that, in itself, is heartbreaking! Think about that!

  And to the director, Barry Levinson, who would soon give us 1990's DINER and 1991's Oscar-nominated BUGSY, for showing us that even a family/buddy/road movie like this doesn't have to be an epic to win Best Picture.

  My hat's off to Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass for creating such a wonderful script! Bravo, gentlemen, you deserve it!

  RAIN MAN was the winner of 4 Academy Awards in 1988 for: Best Picture - Mark Gordon, producer; Best Director - Barry Levinson; Best Actor - Dustin Hoffman; and Best Original Screenplay - Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow.

  RUNNING TIME: 2 HOURS, 14 MINUTES.
  
  

• One of the Greatest films ....

  
  By A15TNUM2PBS6F0 on 2001-02-20
  I recently watched Rain Man, for what was probably at least the tenth time as it is on television alot. It is one of the best movies of the 1980s', and it has without doubt, one of the best performances ever seen on film. Dustin Hoffman was amazing as Raymond Babbitt, an autistic man, whose younger brother, Charlie, played quite well by Tom Cruise, abducts him from the institution he is in in order to get his share of inheritance money. The character of Charlie is very selfish and greedy, but as the film goes on he changes for the better. He takes Raymond clear across the country by car because Raymond won't fly. Watching this film again made me realize that it is really one of the greatest films I've seen. It's a bittersweet story of brotherly love, dramatic at times, but has a great deal of comedy blended in. This is a film to be cherished for generations. I highly recommend Rain Man. The performances by both Dustin Hoffman, who won the Oscar for best actor(very well deserved!), and Tom Cruise are outstanding. I believe this to be one of the first films that Cruise had a real substantial character with depth to him. Watch Rain Man...you won't be disappointed.
  
  

• Have to watch Jeopardy

  
  By ATRYT5ZKNLN9C on 2000-03-17
  This is a masterpiece. The story of a greedy, selfish yuppy, Cruise, whom discovers he has an autistic brother played by Dustin Hoffman. It just so happens this autistic brother has inherited the family fortune. Being institutionalized and not even understanding the concept of money, Cruise kidnaps him. Then trying to swindle the institution to give him half the money. Cruise then takes Hoffman on a cross country roadtrip, where he bonds and finds love for this special person. A movie with some hilarious situations and some to make even the stone hearted teary eyed. Hoffman deserved that oscar 100%. One of the best acting performances I have ever been privalaged to have seen. This an essential to any DVD collection. A true film of the soul!
  
  
• Amazing and effective
  By A3092F8U5Z7UZ1 on 2000-09-22
  Rain Man was my first R-rated movie. I think I was nine when I saw it. My older brother has autism, and I was able, even at the age of nine, to draw startlingly similar parallels between Raymond and my brother.

  In the film, a car dealer (Charlie, played by Tom Cruise) more concerned with his own well-being than that of anyone else discovers he has an autistic brother (Dustin Hoffman-Best Actor Oscar) in an institution. He kidnaps his brother in an effort to get inheritance money "unfairly" left to Ray. As they journey to California, Charlie makes some new realizations about his life.

  Whenever someone meets my brother and asks me what's wrong with him, the first thing I ask is, "Have you seen Rain Man?" The amazing fact is that many have. It is such an outstanding movie that it is watched even by a new generation.

  I'm pleased that Hollywood took the initiative to introduce autism to the general public. Autism is more common than Down Syndrome. Everyone knows what Down Syndrome is, but autism is often downplayed in importance.

  Rain Man strives to change that.
  
  

• Levinson's RAY of Sunshine....
  By A2ZSC81MXLBELX on 2003-01-30
  This review refers to the MGM DVD edition of "Rain Man"......

  "Rain Man" is one of those rare gems to come out of Hollywood, that leaves you wanting to watch it over and over again. After numerous rewrites, and several directoral changes, "Rain Man" finally fell into the very capable hands of director Barry Levinson(The Natural/Good Morning Viet Nam).Levinson brings us more than just a story of two brothers, it is a journey of love and discovery.

  The Babbitt brothers Raymond and Charlie have just discovered the other exisits. Raymond(Dustin Hoffman), the older, is an autistic savant who has been living most of his adult life at "Wallbrook". A facility which although has given him great care, is all that Raymond knows of the world.Raymond lives in his own world there, and although he has amazing mathamatical skills,has little capacity for understanding the ways of the world. Charlie(Tom Cruise), on the other hand, is a sharp but intolerant businessman. He also has trouble seeing beyond his world, and uses people to his own advantages.He seems to be without a heart.

  When their father died, he left almost all of his vast fortune to Raymond, and a mere token to the estranged Charlie. Charlie has always felt cheated by his father and once again he feels the sting.He decides to take matters into his own hands, and kidnaps Raymond from Wallbrook in an attempt to retrieve his share of the inheritance.

  Charlie takes Raymond on a cross country journey that will tug at your heartstrings and keep you smiling every inch of the way.
  Charlie must care for Ray and deal with all of his symptoms and eccentricites, as Ray is thrown into a world unknown to him.The moments of change are defining and a joy to watch as Charlie develops a heart.

  Hoffman's portrayal of the autistic Raymond is moving and is done with a wonderful humor, that brings a great depth of understanding to the character.He not only won the Best Actor award from Oscar, but also recieved a Golden Globe as well. Cruise, although a big box office draw at the time, really shows that he is more than a pretty face with his superb performance as Charlie. Levinson, who brought us a ray of sunshine with this film, recieved Best director from Oscar as well as the Director's Guild.The score by Hans Zimmer as always is delicious. The film itself was also honored by Oscar as Best Picture(1988).

  The DVD qualities are very good. It may be viewed in either The Theatrical widescreen version or a standard version(the choice option comes up at the start of the film). The picture is excellent, with nice colors and sharp images. The sound is in Dolby Dig 5.1 surround, which is especially nice with the terrific score and songs playing in the background. It may also be viewed in French(stereo) or Spanish(Mono). Don't look for too much in the way of extras on the DVD itself, there's just a theatrical trailer, but it does come with a very informative booklet, that talks about everything from the film to some info on exactly what "Autistic Savant Syndrome" is. For me, this film is the "special" feature by itself!

  This is "definately, yeah definately"(Hoffman) a great addition to any DVD library.......Laurie
  
  

• Barry Levinson's Rain Man
  By AUDIJM3VUULS7 on 2002-06-06
  In the last few years, this was one of the few Oscar winners for best picture that was not a ponderous three hour history lesson.

  Charlie Babbit, a struggling and cocky luxury car dealer finds out his father dies, and goes to Ohio from L.A. to collect his expected inheritance. He finds out he has an older autistic brother named Raymond who has all the money put in trust for his care. Charlie takes Raymond on a drive back to L.A. to await a hearing on custody of Raymond, and the film is, in effect, their cross country journey.

  I have seen this film many times before, as have others, and I would suggest a new way to view this: just watch Tom Cruise's underappreciated performance. He is very confident and sure of himself, and holds his own against Hoffman. His character does change slightly throughout the film, but Cruise never allows Charlie to do a 180 into sainthood. Even at the climactic hearing, he speaks shortly to Raymond, and their final scene after the hearing, where Raymond leans his head on Charlie's, is wonderful.

  Hoffman deserved the Oscar for best actor. Sure, everyone did their own Raymond impressions (until Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump came along; why do some people think mental retardation is funny?), but Hoffman has not been this good very often since ("Hero", anyone?).

  The screenplay is wonderful, despite a troubled history and multiple endings. The one scene I had a problem with is when Charlie figures out who Raymond was to him as a child, and Levinson basically has Cruise talk to himself as a way to let those in the audience know. I cannot stand that. We can figure it out without Cruise mumbling "they sent you away because they thought you hurt me." This is just quibbling, however, considering other positives here. Levinson uses overlapping dialogue to a wonderful extent, with Cruise always talking and trying to find a way out of a jam. His scene where he keeps repeating his inheritance, the rose bushes, to his father's lawyer, while the lawyer tries to talk, is funny and a foreshadowing to Hoffman's Raymond. Maybe Raymond does not say some of the things he says because he is autistic, but because he is a Babbit. When Robert Altman uses overlapping dialogue, it seems forced, boring, and something you must endure until Sally Kellerman or some other leading lady agrees to take her clothes off. Here, it is very natural. Valeria Golina is also good as Charlie's exasperated Italian girlfriend.

  Hans Zimmer provides an incredible score that is not used often enough. The pick of songs, from Bananarama's remake of "Nathan Jones," to "At Last" seemed to be collected to make the movie work, not because someone wanted a hit soundtrack a la "Footloose" or "Beverly Hills Cop."

  "Rain Man" is a great film, and one that deserves a fresh look today.

  This is rated (R) for some physical violence, strong profanity, brief female nudity, some sexual content, and some sexual references. This could almost get a (PG13) nowadays, I have seen worse on network TV.
  
  

• "Rain Man: Special Edition" -- Good DVD, Even Better Film!
  By A1FDW1SPYKB354 on 2004-05-25
  "Rain Man" reigned in the 1988 "Best Picture" Academy Award, and deservedly so. This film is everything a "Best Picture" Oscar winner should be, in my view. It has tenderness, romance, drama, compassion, likeable characters, and a biting humor as well. It's a "road" picture, while at the same time encompassing so many other things too.

  Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman give highly-memorable and powerful performances in "Rain Man". Some of the moments in the movie that I find particularly memorable (and deserving of multiple replays whenever loading this up into the DVD Player) include these ............

  > The first meeting between "Charlie" and "Raymond", when Charlie finds Ray behind the wheel of his rare 1948 automobile (excellent "first meeting" of these characters).

  > The "shorts on the highway" scene.

  > "Qantas never crashed".

  > The Blackjack scene in Vegas.

  > "I like having you for my big brother".

  This "SE" release of "Rain Man" includes an enhanced (anamorphic) 1.85:1 Widescreen version of the movie -- and it gets an A+ on my "PQ Report Card". The digital video is beautiful throughout, with radiant colors.

  The audio comes through loud and clear via the disc's bold English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround track. Two foreign-language DD tracks are also part of this DVD -- a 2.0 Surround in French, and a Spanish 2.0 Mono track.

  The DVD Special Features are a wee bit on the light side for a so-called "Special Edition". Although, if you like Audio Commentaries, you've come to the right place with this "Rain Man" DVD. Three separate filmmaker Commentary Tracks are featured on this one-disc "SE", including one by Director Barry Levinson.

  Other bonus material includes ..........

  >> Original Featurette. -- This short bonus is fairly thin on content, but does provide a few comments from stars Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise (circa 1988). Not much to sink your "Making Of" teeth into here though. The video for this featurette is Full Frame (1.33:1). Length = 6:55. .... It would have been nice to have had a feature-length "Making-Of" documentary included on this "SE" DVD. But, maybe next time.

  >> One Deleted Scene. -- I kind of liked this. This excised scene shows Raymond entering a convenience store, where he begins helping himself to the store's stock of food and beverages (to the dismay of the shop's proprietor). Charlie enters at the end of this short scene to "rescue" Raymond. It's a pretty good scene, but certainly not essential to the storyline; and I can see why it was cut. Especially considering the film's already-lengthy 134-minute final running time. This deleted clip lasts 2:01, and is presented in 1.33:1 Full-Frame ratio.

  >> Original Theatrical Trailer. -- A fun and funny trailer. Shown in 1.33:1. Run time -- 2:14.

  >> Photo Gallery. -- This Gallery (which *is* anamorphic) is broken up into five different segments.

  >> Bonus DVD Trailers.

  No "Chapter List" paper insert is included with this DVD. The case looks kind of bare without any insert, I must admit. But, starting in late 2003 (approx.), many studios began to go the "el-cheapo" route on us, and no longer provide physical paper enclosures inside the DVD cases anymore. Gee, you'd think a "Special Edition" release would at least warrant a slim, one-page insert. Oh, well...what are ya gonna do? No biggie really. But I'd still prefer to have an insert for all DVD releases (even if it's only an ad for other DVD products).

  Even with the rather skimpy selection of supplements here, this DVD still comes highly recommended by this "Rain Man" fan. The picture and sound quality are dazzling; and the film itself is ... well ... I'm sure you know ..... Oscar worthy! Get this today!
  
  

• Brilliant Performances, Unforgettable Movie!
  By A1BJOEQSRX2IBM on 2000-06-20
  'Rain Man' is the kind of film where we know we are watching a formula movie, but we are so enraptured by the story and the premise and captivated by the brilliant performances by Cruise and Hoffman that we can't help but let ourselves go and fully enjoy what this unique film has to offer. It wouldn't of been so successful if Hoffman and Cruise hadn't delivered such brilliant performances, their scenes together are masterful and we really believe that they could be brothers, this also helps at boosting the emotional impact near the end of the film. Taut direction by Levinson and a well written screenplay also helps. But the element that leaves the emotional impact is the relationship between Cruise and Hoffman, one of the most popular brother relationships in film history, also Hoffman created an instant American icon; stuttering, autistic Raymond Babitt (Rain Man). From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!
  
  
• You call this a special edition???
  By A31PSQ69MJSN8O on 2003-11-18
  Why is this a Special Edition? Just because of a few commentaries? There is only 1 deleted scene included!? No trailer or TV Spot?? Anyone any idea whether there is an Ultimate Edition coming soon...
  
  
• Mixed Metaphors
  By A2V3Z2IBQIDF66 on 2007-04-14
  The first thing that pleased me about this purchase was the new cover, synchronously both the same but not the same as the original. Gone was the huge tree-lined drive of the institution from which Charlie was springing his autistic brother, and in its stead appeared a country road underfoot and a beautiful blue sky towering above them, stretching forever and ever.
  The Internet is overloaded with reviews of the movie Rain Man that have missed the main point of the movie, but the Special Edition of the movie will at the very least have put paid to most of them. Just watch the featurette. It lasts only a few minutes but explains all that had hitherto been missing from those tens of thousands of words.
  I remember watching the movie on its release and reading in the acknowledgements mention of the role that the autistic society of America played. Yet only concentrating on this and the fact that Hoffman won the Oscar for his role as the autistic Ray (not Cruise who played his brother Charlie) has led many to falsely assume this movie is about Raymond, and thus autism. The producer sets this sidetrack straight in the featurette when he states that the movie is not about Raymond but Charlie, as he is the one who changes.
  Films communicate their stories through the metaphors they contain. Once you can understand the metaphors, you can understand the movie. By realizing that autism is the vehicle and Charlie's change is the tenor, we can finally get the story's meaning the right way around.
  To confirm this fact, Tom Cruise comments that Charlie learns to live life again through his brother, Raymond, who is autistic, and that Charlie is an "emotional autistic". Most films' appeal is a character with strong emotions who changes. Although Charlie changes, Ray is not emotional and does not change. But it was Hoffman who won the Oscar for Best Actor, not Cruise, and he had even suggested that Ray be autistic for the final shooting script. The subject is Charlie's change which we measure by Ray's lack of one. The main metaphor is autism, more than the car or even the journey. Ray's immutability is the yardstick that allows us to savor all the more Charlie's transformation into a feeling human being.
  The final word from the featurette must go to Hoffman as he made the movie such a major part of himself and vice versa. He spells out his own heart by explaining that, when we meet people whose lives are touched by autism, we can't help but to be affected by them. And we hope that if we could just give them enough love they might somehow be released from their condition. The movie wanted the audience to somehow feel the same way.
  Charlie has to travel the breadth of America to find out that, though that's impossible, trying to do so can help us heal ourselves. And finally, returning to the box cover, another often missed facet of the movie is also made clear - from the puff of sand when Charlie u-turns at the news of his father's death, through the dead roses, dried up pool, then the rain that weeps into it like tears, the background also transmogrifies as the sky expands in ever deeper shades of blue, love blooming in the gorgeous greening, and the high point, the fountains shooting high into the sky outside the casino hotel after Charlie's new family, Ray and Suzanna are all reunited.
  
  
  
• "He should work for NASA or something like that."
  By A3U56M0Y8LYO6J on 2003-10-12
  Barry Levinson's "Rain Man" is a film with a gimmick. It is gimmick that is used to differentiate this film from the number of films that had previously dealt with the same material. At its core, this is a story about family secrets, personal discovery, and reconciliation. Only this time around, one of the members of the family is autistic.

  After his father passes away, Charlie Babbitt's (Tom Cruise) life changes forever when he discovers he has brother he never knew he had. Compounding his surprise is the fact that Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) is an autistic who can perform amazing mental feats with little effort. However, Raymond is unable to interact socially with others and is continuously thwarted by the world outside upon leaving his institution. After much soul-searching, Charlie must decide if his brother's interests would be better served staying at home with him or back at the institution with its comfortable daily routine.

  The two performances at the heart of "Rain Man" are flawless. Cruise is great as the fast-talking brother whose cold heart thaws as he spends more time with his brother and Hoffman's Academy Award for his performance is testament enough to its quality. However, while watching "Rain Man," you cannot shake the feeling that the events unfolding on-screen are just an excuse to display Raymond's talents. All of the scenes from his recitation of baseball statistics to his ability to count toothpicks on the floor to his success in Las Vegas feel like gimmicky set pieces. Little drama is produced the rest of the time as the scenes without Raymond are just filler to bridge the gaps between his previous spotlight moment and his next one. In the end there is surprisingly little in the film to sustain the viewer's interest. Record "Rain Man" as just another byproduct of the creative malaise that seemed to be running through Hollywood in the late-Eighties.
  
  

• Not nearly as great as its Best Picture Oscar suggests
  By A2PXHFGJZBNLXB on 2004-08-19
  Like one of the reviewers currently in the "Spotlight Reviews" section, I never really take the Academy Awards seriously as an indication of quality. It seems like for every worthy, challenging Academy Award-winning movie like AMERICAN BEAUTY there's something like RAIN MAN (which won four major Academy Awards in 1989): a safe, conservative, old-fashioned piece of Hollywood uplift that literally cries out to be showered with Oscars by the old-fashioned people at the AMPAS.
  
  Well, perhaps I'm being too cynical here. RAIN MAN is not a bad movie, by any means. It's an entertaining and occasionally illuminating drama about how an initially selfish jerk (Tom Cruise) becomes a better person after he spends a lot of time on the road with his autistic-savant brother (Dustin Hoffman). Such a movie risks being awkwardly mawkish, but director Barry Levinson avoids such pitfalls most of the time, although the script's lapses into cliched sentimentality unfortunately do stick out like Raymond's autism-induced obsessiveness. And the two performances by Hoffman and Cruise, really, are very good. This was one of Cruise's first serious dramatic roles, and he is never unconvincing in conveying Charlie's changing demeanor toward Raymond. As for Hoffman, who won an Oscar here, he obviously gives the more flashy performance, but he uncannily succeeds in drawing our sympathy for this wholly self-absorbed character. We like Raymond Babbitt, even if we aren't totally sure why. Overall, RAIN MAN is an enjoyable and sometimes genuinely touching movie about a man's change of heart.
  
  But, seriously, how many Hollywood "prestige" movies have charted a similar thematic trajectory? It's very unfortunate that Levinson and screenwriters Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass were merely aiming for that tired old "triumph of the human spirit" angle in a movie with an autistic at its center. Raymond Babbitt is a subject that could have made a truly remarkable, shattering cinematic exploration about how autism affects its victim and/or people around him, and what do these filmmakers do instead? Throw the autistic and his jerk brother together in a typical road-trip buddy movie plot (with faint echoes of MIDNIGHT RUN in some scenes), and focus much more on Charlie's change of heart rather than Raymond's fascinating psychological condition. The character here feels less like a real flesh-and-blood individual, more like a device to freshen up a plot and a central theme we've seen many, many times before. The filmmakers blew an opportunity to truly make us understand autism and how it affects people. Instead, we never truly feel for the poor guy at all (despite Hoffman's intermittently successful attempts at bringing us emotionally closer to his character), and that is a real shame.
  
  Look, I am perfectly capable of being truly moved by this kind of uplifting drama. (FORREST GUMP may have been a similar kind of conservative "triumph of the human spirit" drama, but at least that movie was without pretensions of being something more shattering than that...and it was truly touching to boot.) I'm sure a lot of people will watch this movie and love it on its own rather un-ambitious terms, feel that it is a "nice" movie, and even be inspired by it. For me, though, I was expecting something a lot more eloquent and haunting than this bland TV-movie-of-the-week treatment of a serious mental illness. This is hardly the definitive cinematic treatment of autism that health classes all over America tout it to be; you'd probably get more illumination from a PBS documentary on the subject than from here. So, for all its mildly moving moments and good performances, RAIN MAN comes as a disappointment, and certainly not the great movie its Best Picture Oscar suggests it is. It sure could have been a lot more than just another Best Picture Oscar winner.
  
  
• A MOST SPECIAL FILM
  By A1L8HRCM60W0W7 on 2004-09-04
  The seminal classic needs no introduction, but among the beautiful lessons I've learnt in the seven times I've watched it with rapt attention:
  
  (1) A character incapable of emotional development ironically teaches a "sane" man to connect.
  (2) The power of surprising ourselves by changing just that little bit.
  (3) Appreciation for autism and how little gestures of understanding can go far.
  (4) Hans Zimmer is as safe a bet for film scores as Hoffman is for character roles.
  (5) Tom Cruise has possibilities too, when inevitable.
  
  A splendid tale of spiritual transformation and acceptance, of getting in touch with things that transcend materialistic trappings. DVD features include audio commentaries by Levinson, Bass and Morrow, a deleted scene, and a making-of feature.
  
  An invaluable possession for every serious collection.
  
  
• fake widescreen
  By AYD0JOAN3FM3W on 2006-09-03
  I compared the widescreen with the pan & scan version which of both are on this disc and the "widescreen" is pan and scan with black bars on top and bottom masqaradeing as widescreen giving you even less of the original films panaramic view.
  
  
• Awesome Autistic!!!!
  By A2MYEDHMJESWGS on 2007-11-23
  Rain Man is a truly special film that involves two brothers of two totally different worlds,mentally 'n so forth. However,Charlie has this thing where he's all about money even to the point that he tries to play his brother,Raymond,for "a sap." In other words,Charlie is willing to do whatever it takes to get "the lion's share"
  of inheritence...money and all!! To me,I'd say that's a shame because it is so sad to have to take advantage of a family member as a pawn in the game...especially if that family member has a mentally or developmentally disorder. I'd hate to think about what would happen if Charlie and Raymond were to never get along yet what Charlie would do to shake the cash out of Raymond's pockets,ya know?
  I'm pretty sure that Raymond got "picked on"...did Raymond ever get bullied,mocked,made fun of,etc.
  or did he just get left alone with only the burden of his own semi-normal brother(Charlie)with money-hungry out for blood issues just to get some cash on the side?!!
  I can only help but wonder on since he lived at Wallbrook
  in which I take it,is an adult foster care home or more commonly referred to as an AFC Home but you could only picture the part of if Raymond was in Special Education at one time or another...I bet he was the smartest student if he were a Special Ed. student since it's hardly ever that one comes up to an Autistic individual with so many advanced talents and/or abilities beyond belief!! I'm not disparging Autistic people as a catagory,mind you but I was amazed at Raymond's unique "powers" if you wish to call them "powers." All I have to say in mental terms is: "What a weapon!!" He's ahead of the ball game in his mental abilities on numbers(math),cards,knowledge on
  baseball+"Who's On First?" let alone remembering phone numbers+names out of a phone book up to half-way through "G"?!! That's unheard of,if you ask me!!!! Dustin Hoffman has created an inspiration for me.
  WHY? Because I have a rare Autistic Spectrum known
  as "Asperger's Syndrome" and my abilities are similar to Raymond's in terms of math,games(Video Games+Yu-Gi-Oh!),
  numbers(birthdays+phone numbers...not address', though.)
  but Rain Man has helped me to somewhat understand Autism but I'm disappointed to know that I can't find any movies with somebody that has "Asperger's Syndrome."
  I rented Rain Man a few years ago and my mother watched it with me to help me better understand Autism and the "powers" hidden within. Therefore,being that I have such a rare Autistic Spectum...Rain Man has inspired me to find the "magic" within myself!!
  God Bless Rain Man,You'll Always Inspire Autistic Truth!!
  
  *J. Allen*
  
  
• one to see over and over
  By A2QF414GEHKKGC on 2000-01-24
  After viewing this film numerous times, I finally decided I must own a copy. If you're curious to know a bit about the real person who inspired the original story and screenplay, look for the book "The Real Rain Man: Kim Peek" by his father, Fran Peek... available here at Amazon. Kim is a savant with far more amazing abilities than were portrayed in the film and who is not actually autistic but has a rare brain abnormality called Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, which my 3 year old daughter also has. Dustin Hoffman met with Kim to prepare for his role in this fabulous film.
  
  
• Touching Story, but.....
  By on 1999-10-15
  The story of the two brothers, that's nice and touching. And Dustin Hoffman, what can you say? He is a brilliant actor. His performance deserved the Oscar. But I lost interest in this movie right around where they stop at the house to watch the game show or whatever TV program it was. It couldn't keep my interest or attention to the end.
  
  
• Aged bit still very strong
  By A3UDYY6L2NH3JS on 2001-02-13
  The film has aged. When it came out it was a revelation about « retards », mentally handicapped people. They were shown has human and having qualities and potentialities by far not exploited by their being closed up in some institutions. This particular Raymond was committed because he must have burned his baby brother in his bath. His family got rid of him, his father got him pent up. But the two brothers finally meet, thanks to an antique car. Though at this level the film is no longer a revelation, it shows how prolonged human contact opens up the mind of the autistic man and little by little brings him to some discovery of love, not only care, of fun, not only entertainment, of autonomy too, not only personal activities under heavy surveillance. Though he will have to go back to the institution, his brother will keep the possibility to meet him and take him under his responsibility regularly. This is still somewhat behind our present time, but it was a tremendous revolution in our way of thinking nearly twenty years ago. The motivations of the brother seem to be ambiguous : money at first (the inheritance from the dead father that was escaping him), then money again due to Raymond's ability at counting cards in a casino and being a real hit at the card table, and finally more human brotherly love, but only finally, and after he has made so much money in Las Vegas that he does not need a deal about the inheritance any more. Two great actors Tom Cruise as the brother and Dustin Hoffman as the autistic son. The choice was very much criticized at the time, and today it is unbearable. A real autistic actor should have been used, even if Hoffman does a marvelous job at the part, but he is not a real one, and his facial expression will never be that of a real autistic person. To be watched for the historical value of the film both on the subject of integrating autistic people in real society, and on the possibility that is appearing more and more to integrate « handicapped » actors in films. They can really be actors if they are properly directed. Ask the company L'Oiseau Mouche in Roubaix, France, funded by the European Community, for one instance. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Paris Universities II and IX.
  
  
• Long Long Brother
  By A1GN8UJIZLCA59 on 2003-02-14
  1988's Rain Man is the story of a young, greedily ambitious car dealer, Charlie Babbitt, who travels from Los Angeles to Cincinnati after his father passes away. Expecting to be left his father's millions, he finds he is only left with some rose bushes and a classic Buick convertible. Even more shocking to Charlie is that he finds out the millions have been left to a brother he never knew he had. His brother, Raymond, is much older and confined to an institution because he is afflicted with autism. Charlie takes Raymond out of the institution and wants to take him back to L.A. in order to bilk him out of the money. After Raymond refuses to fly, they set off on a cross-country journey in the Buick. Initially, Charlie is uncaring and unsympathetic to Raymond. Raymond is a creature of routine and any deviation from it causes him to become worried and troubled. Eventually, Charlie softens up and grows to care for his brother and gives in to his routines, but also helps Raymond break some of them. Dustin Hoffman won his second Best Actor Oscar for his role as Raymond and Tom Cruise gave his first serious and critically acclaimed performance as Charlie. The film won three other Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Barry Levinson and Best Original Screenplay for writers Ronald Bass & Barry Morrow. The film can get a little tedious and cloying spots and while Mr. Hoffman's performance is clearly genuine and heart felt, but he sometimes falls into an almost cartoon character with his mannerisms. That being said, Rain Man is a highly entertaining film that will make you laugh and cry.
  
  
• MORE MATERIAL! please
  By A2TQ0JRKDEOZL0 on 2003-11-27
  This is my favorite movie, and the dvds that I've got so far of this movie are all really empty on extra material. This one;
  1. The commentaires- Barry, Barry and Ronald. Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman should've had put commentaires on there too. That would be very nice, 'cause the entire movie is about these two guys!
  2. The deleted scene of them in K-mart, that's very nice and all but hey! ONE?!
  3. The photogallery. Nothing bad about that.
  4. The behind the scenes show, great. But I sure hope it's not the one from AMC!
  So you see, I don't think this has the right to be called a special edition, when there's just a few small changes from the other dvds I've purchased!
  'COURSE THIS IS DEFINITLY STILL THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER, DEFINITLY!
  
  
• Brilliant!
  By A1VBRZ8KWE0O0U on 2005-07-23
  My favorite movie. Can't believe how excellent D. Hoffman's performance is, as well as T. Cruise and all others. I saw this movie with my parents when I was 18,which was 17 years ago and to this day, we still talk about Rain Man as our fave movie. So many funny quotes and mannerisms of the characters. Beautiful soundtrack as well. Glad to have it on dvd.
  
  
• A film that mirrors the best and worst of human beings in modern society and in this sense stretches far beyond autism.
  By A36IBAWBVU5NT9 on 2005-10-04
  Rain Man is a classic film with global appeal but certainly the one that propelled awareness of autism into the mainstream. At the same time it failed to give the public a full sense of the diversity of people on the autistic spectrum, most of who do not have savant skills at all and many of whom are not at all wooden or shuffling like Raymond in this film. But what Rain Man did do was give people an understanding of some of the challenges of autism and paved the way for a far wider public reception of the literary works of people with autism (Nobody Nowhere, Emergence, Lucy's Story etc) which generally went on to challenge the existing stereotypes with the consequence that the incidence of autism was seen to explode from 1 in 10,000 to around 1 in 160 people today. Cruise and Hoffman are outstanding in this film and the story of the opportunistic and image conscious Cruise contrasted with the 'what you see is what you get' Hoffman is gorgeous. Its a film that mirrors the best and worst of human beings in modern society and in this sense stretches far beyond autism.
  
  
• Excellent Movie!!!
  By A1R2ONSLAI3M2X on 2006-03-06
  The only reason I didn't give this excellent movie 5 stars is because I do have other favorite movies that I find better than Rain Man and they got my 5 star reviews. But that does not take away anything from this great movie. Dustin Hoffman delivers an exceptionally wonderful performance as Raymond Babbitt, the autistic savant and Tom Cruise delivers a good performance as his younger brother Charlie. It's no surprise that Rain Man won Academy Awards for it is a very touching story. Great from beginning to end. Brilliantly written. Rain Man will always remain one of the best movies of all times.
  
  
• A great movie!
  By on 2000-08-07
  "Rain Man" is a must-see classic. Dustin Hoffman superbly plays Raymond Babbit, an autistic-savant who is kidnapped by his long-lost brother Charlie, played by Cruise. They go on a long road trip and discuss their lives, learning more about each other. Winner of four Academy Awards, (Best Pictue, Best Actor: Dustin Hoffman, Best Director, Best Screen- play), this film is an absolutely perfect film.
  
  
• I'm an excellent driver
  By A1J7PXT8C9VGF5 on 2001-10-24
  Classic - if you haven't seen this movie, you need to drive to the video store tonight and rent it. Absolutely wonderful acting, great storyline, fantastic plot. Dustin Hoffman at his best. Tom Cruise is only mildly annoying as well. Great flick!!
  
  
• accurate portrayal of autism
  By on 2003-07-04
  As the dad of an autistic child, I can say Dustin Hoffman's performance of an autistic person rings remarkably true. If Tom Cruise lived with his brother all along he wouldn't have to ask the exasperated question "What difference does it make?" He would know the slightest change in routine for an autistic person can be extremely unsettling with unpredictable consequences.
  
  
• 'a lot' is two words. the thesaurus forgot to tell you that?
  By A1OXOCYA72ETE0 on 2003-08-07
  My younger brother is an autistic savant and this movie was a near-perfect portrayal of autism. anyone who criticizes dustin hoffman's performance obviously doesn't have any experience with autistic people.
  
  
• Dustin is Amazing
  By A1CDNTB7377YH2 on 2003-11-18
  Everyone who sees this film falls in love with Raymond (isn't that where they came up with the idea for the name of the tv show?), who Tom Cruise used to call Rain Main. An autistic with a genius for numbers, Raymond is used by Cruise (the ultimate con-man), who in the end realizes that his often ignored brother is more important than his schemes.

  With the memorable lines, I got my underwear from KMart and I'm an excellent driver, this movie will touch you and give you a deep appreciation of people who are different.
  
  

• Forrest Gump (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
• A Beautiful Mind (Widescreen Awards Edition)
• Good Will Hunting (Miramax Collector's Series)
• Driving Miss Daisy (Special Edition)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest