Is Asperger’s Hollywood’s Disease du Jour?

Name one film that involves someone with Asperger’s syndrome. And it can’t be Rain Man. Cat got your tongue? Well, after this summer season, the task might get a little easier: from animation (Mary and Max) to a rom-com (Adam), movies ? and even some novels ? are giving men with Asperger’s the leading role. With the new interest in this autism spectrum disorder, The Takeaway is left wondering: how do such films affect the community they portray? We’ve asked David Corcoran and David Edelstein to help us start this conversation. Corcoran is health editor at The New York Times, where he worked on the piece about Asperger’s in today’s Science Times, Asperger’s Syndrome, On Screen and in Life. Edelstein is chief film critic for New York Magazine.