Float Reviewed by an Autist

Last updated on:

I had what was technically a film depicting an ordinary kid in mind, which is this short film titled Float. I understand that there are no autism-coded characters in the short, but it resonated with me for what it's like to be unique. Here's what the short's about and how I elaborate on why uniqueness is a thing for the autistic community. So the film starts with this toddler boy and his father having a father-and-son bonding moment where the father catches the boy in the air when they discover that the boy has the power to fly. The boy gleefully flew around their front yard while his dad looked happy for him at first. The boy then proceeded to fly out to some nearby passersby and neighbors, who seemed startled by his flying approach that prompted the dad to take him back inside the house. The dad developed a fear of his son being judged by others and began to hide him from other people out of that fear.

A couple of years on, and the dad sets rules for the flying boy that involve keeping him on the ground with a leash and weighted rock in his backpack, as well as wearing a hoodie to further mask his appearance. It was when he took a chance to take his son outside again. The dad and boy walked by a playground with many kids and parents occupying it. That was when the boy took his moment to be set free and playfully fly around the playground with the other kids while the parents were weary of him. The dad was shocked by his son playfully flying around everyone at the playground and managed to catch him, attempting to drag him out of there. The boy resisted his dad's attempt to leave, which caused the dad to snap and yell out, "Why can't you just be normal?" The boy felt shock and sadness enough to make him float back to the ground and quietly cry while the dad showed instant regret for what he yelled out, and the witnesses stared at them.

The dad experiences a dilemma about making a choice. He chose to ignore other people's opinions and restored the boy's happiness on the swing to encourage him to fly again. The boy ended up happily flying around again, and the dad ultimately showed that he was proud of his unique son for who he is in the end. My only wish is that the other kids would have accepted the boy too, for his sense of belonging extended beyond just his relationship with his father.

The moral of the story is that "normal" is overrated since humans are made to be unique to one another. Don't let your fear of judgment from others hold you back from embracing your true self for how different you may be from most others. The moral also applies to people who are on the autism spectrum, such as myself. We may seem different, but we have various backgrounds and levels of function and have our own unique talents, skills, and knowledge to offer to everyone else. My inspirational word to my fellow autists is to be proud of who you are, as I'm proud of you. I rate this inspirational short film a 7.5 out of 10.