Disability Happens ™

by Joe Posner 

In the 1980s, the scent of brotherly disability must have been floating over the film studios. Two films came out in that decade about brothers, one of whom has a disability. We’ve all heard of “Rain Man,” but do you remember the other one? I didn’t think so.

First up, “Rain Man.” Directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass, it starred Hollywood heavyweights Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. It was released on December 16, 1988.

When young Los Angeles car salesman Charlie Babbitt (Cruise) goes to Cincinnati, Ohio following the death of his father, he finds out he has a mentally challenged brother who stands to inherit all his father’s three million dollar estate. Pissed, Charlie takes Raymond (Hoffman) on a cross country road trip back to L.A., bonding with his bizarre brother in the process.

Kim Peek, an actual savant, was the basis of Hoffman’s Raymond Babbitt. Unlike Raymond, however, Peek is not autistic. Many critics hailed Hoffman for his astonishing portrayal of a mentally disabled man. Some, however, felt Hoffman’s performance had too many tics and mannerisms, ignoring the inner life of the character. Those critics were in the minority.

Hoffman received an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as Raymond. Others felt Cruise deserved an Oscar nod as well. Acting opposite acting heavyweight Hoffman, Cruise had brought his “A” game to the role of Raymond’s brother Charlie, and it showed.

Some consider “Rain Man” to be the peak of Hoffman’s long career. Although he’s done good work since, nothing has had the impact, on both audiences and critics, of Raymond Babbitt.

Next up “Dominick and Eugene,” released on December 23, 1988. Coming out only one week after the similarly themed, but MUCH higher profile “Rain Man,” crippled it at the box office.

Directed by Robert M. Young, “Dominick and Eugene” starred Tom Hulce, Ray Liotta and Jamie Lee Curtis. Dominick (Hulce) is the mildly mentally challenged brother of Eugene (Liotta) a medical student. Dominick/Hulce works at a menial job in order that Eugene/Liotta pursue his medical studies. Eugene must eventually choose between the love for his brother and his urge to become a doctor.

Hulce takes great pains in making Dominick real, and not a standard depiction of a mentally challenged person. The great love he shows for Eugene, allows Eugene to love him back, but not always in ways Dominick understands or appreciates.

Although Hulce is more famous for his star turn in “Amadeus,” his work here, while quieter, is no less impressive. The critics, during the original theatrical run of “Dominick and Eugene”in the ’80s, were not particularly impressed. The film barely registered during the annual movie awards; people were too busy throwing trophies at “Rain Man.”

MGM’s late, great Louie B. Mayer used to refer to films as “The emotion picture business.” “Dominick and Eugene” will move you.

Category : Film