Molly

First of all, as the title character, Molly, Elisabeth Shue is almost painful to watch. So painful, in fact, that she pulls off the comedic performance of the decade by yanking every tired stereotype about mentally disabled people out of her "Please Nominate Me for an Oscar" bag. Yikes.

Second, how insipid and ridiculous can you get? Molly loves organizing her shoes. She loves the Wizard of Oz. She teaches the jaded "sane" world how to love life again by standing in a fountain and taking off her clothes in public.

I'm in disbelief that there are actually earnest accolades for this movie floating around Amazon.com. THIS MOVIE IS GARBAGE, PEOPLE!!! Molly is a wonderful failure insofar as E. Shue gives the funniest, most painful, performance of her lifetime. But, "heartwarming"????? Please....


richly detailed, engaging portrait of autistic experience   May 15, 2003
Savanna Reid (Las Vegas, Nevada)
This romantic comedy-drama about a cure for autism builds on the premise that the audience has digested the intro-to-autism that was Rainman, and is ready to move beyond that stylish snapshot to a more interior view of the frustrations and hopes of an autistic hero. Molly is considerably less introverted at times than most autistics, making her a more sympathetic character but causing some families of autistics to object that the movie is very unrealistic. Keep in mind that there are still many competing theories of why autistics fail to interact socially - are they genuinely indifferent to other people, or just socially learning-disabled? Those who think the latter is the case will find this story plausible and moving - others have been exasperated with what they see as a dishonest picture of the nature of autism.


Typical   April 13, 2001
This movie gave me a new view into the world of autism. Although the way Molly suddenly becomes "normal" and then reverts back into her former condition is rather unbelievable, this movie made some powerful points about what is "normal" Is anybody normal? For Molly, autism was normal, for her brother, he was normal. We find that just because a person has trouble communicating, that does not mean that they are not a unique person with thoughts and feelings unique to them. A person with things to say, with opinions. She said that people don't say enough about what they feel and are not free with their feelings. She felt that if you were inspired to dance, scream, or cry, you should. I too feel this way, even though the society in which we live today represses and molds us into what it thinks we should be. Watch this movie if you want to laugh and gain insight into her world.


Okay, it isn't very good...   March 14, 2001
John Lucey (Bethesda, Maryland United States)
But it isn't as bad as I'd anticipated. I'm a long time John Duigan fan, so I had to see it. And yes, this is a career low for him. But one of the major problems with this dvd is that it is using the studio cut of the movie, which removes about 20 minutes from the film. Is the movie any better with those 20 extra minutes? I don't know, but it does explain how some characters seem to just float through the movie. Their roles may have been reduced in the editing process. The movie is also just plain weird or goofy in certain sections (Molly's reaction when she sees the bodybuilders or when she wets her pants).

Duigan is truly a gifted director: see Flirting, The Year My Voice Broke, or Sirens before judging his work or his capability. I just hope to heaven that he returns to writing his own films, as well as directing.


Heartwarming   January 12, 2001
Elisabeth Shue was excellent as Molly. Her facial expressions and mannerisms were heartwarming. This movie helped me to realize how much we take for granted in our daily lives. This movie makes you want to embrace life and make the most of every moment. I think Elisabeth Shue did an outstanding performance in this movie. She was absolutely perfect for the part of Molly.