Over the years, jigsaw puzzle pieces have come to be a universally recognized symbol for autism awareness. But who knew that putting together a few of those pieces might reveal images of Disney characters?
That’s been part of the autism experience for Owen Suskind and his family, who discovered during Owen’s early childhood that his love for Disney animation was an invaluable conduit for communicating. The unique way that the Suskinds have dealt with an all-too-familiar challenge is the subject of Roger Ross Williams’s documentary “Life, Animated.” It’s a touching companion to the 2014 book by Owen’s father, Ron, a Cambridge-based, Pulitzer-winning journalist.
We’re introduced to Owen in his early 20s, as he’s preparing to graduate from a life-skills program down on the Cape and get a place of his own. Passing time in his room, he watches an old VHS copy of “Peter Pan,” casually yet expertly reenacting everything from the dialogue to the swashbuckling. We see him taking in a scene of Peter railing against — what else? — growing up, a parallel that couldn’t be any more on-the-nose.
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