Roman J. Israel (Denzel Washington) is an over-the-hill activist lawyer who goes through what can best be described as a midlife crisis after the death of his mentor and boss. Support our autistic bloggers and artists. Roman Israel — or as he likes to say it, in his obsessive and literal way, Roman J. Israel, Esq. Israel is autistic, to be sure, but he’s also a bit of a romantic, a single-minded activist  and a music nerd. is a fascinating character study that ultimately fails as a cohesive film. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The movie really struck a deep chord for me. I think to have forced those references into the dialogue would have turned the movie into a giant PSA and it would have disassociated the character in some way. Roman J. Israel, Esq. However, his rigid sense of right and wrong leaves him ill-suited to the loopholes and compromises that come with the job. Thank you Nils for the enlightening blog and sharing your perspective relating to the film addressing Roman’s Asperger’s Syndrome. Reassuring, enlightening, and sad. Our mission is to provide a forum to connect with those who wish to employ these abilities. I watched the film and had no idea that the character Roman had Aspergers. The Art of Autism accepts many art forms, including blog posts, art, poetry, video submissions and requests for book and film reviews. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! was unsettling in both a good and a bad way and at moments was difficult to watch. Roman J. Israel, Esq. A lawyer with Aspergers – a review of Roman J. Israel, Esq. So for me it was great that the Aspbergers was not mentioned, only portrayed. This is sometimes referred to in the clinical literature as “mindblindness”, the inability to make inferences about what another individual is thinking. He works behind the scene while his well-known work partner William Jackson excels in the courtroom. While that film features a fairly original protagonist, Roman J. Israel, Esq. I couldn’t agree more. So here’s a brief summary of what the film is about, and then I will let you know what I thought about it. is the second movie this month with a comma in its title, a fact that is only slightly less interesting than the film itself, which is a disappointment coming from Dan Gilroy, the writer-director of Nightcrawler, and Denzel Washington, a modern screen icon and a movie star if ever there was one. Personally, though it may strike others as an odd perspective, the uniqueness of every individual brings light into my thoughts. Washington is Roman J Israel, Esq., ... Roman is a very different character for Washington. That said, “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” is something I’ve wanted out of fictional depictions of autism for a while: A character who has autism and a distinct personality, not simply the one instead of the other. And for those in the autistic community who have not yet seen the film, I would advise viewing it with caution in order that they may take its portrayal as a constructive lesson for educating others about the nature of autism and the appropriate ways of interrelating with people who are on the spectrum. Having spent his life working for peanuts defending the poor, Israel suddenly ends up working for the high-end law firm of his mentor’s former student, George Pierce (Colin Farrell). Roman J. Israel, Esq. However, I feel to have done so would have rendered the dialogue in that scene as unrealistic. Anyway, just my two cents. All this is to say that when I heard Washington would be playing a lawyer on the autism spectrum in “Roman J. Israel, Esq.,” I wasn’t as nervous as this kind of casting normally makes me. Israel is never explicitly identified in the film as autistic. To conclude, I wish you Nils further success in bringing the Asperger’s and Autism to light and discussion and to help the integration into the society. Washington’s character, Roman J. Israel, is a bit of a 1970s social justice relic, with an afro, plastic aviators, giant lapels, and an old-school briefcase. At other times, Roman seems to be having a complete breakdown. As Roman J. Israel, Esq., ... Colin Farrell, a sleek attorney seeking Roman's help on a murder trial, suggests he's autistic. Roman J. Israel, Esq. An unusual thing happened between the time Denzel Washington's "Roman J. Israel, Esq." Israel is a socially awkward, idealistic lawyer who is relegated to an office-based position within the law firm he co-partners, his eccentricities and rigid adherence to the law better suited to a role behind the scenes. ‘An awkward title and a strange plot trajectory will make Roman J. Israel, Esq. The trailers for "Roman J. Israel, Esq." ultimately celebrates the different kinds of energy it takes to push a democracy forward while reckoning with the private sacrifices all that entails. The Autism Puzzle Piece: A symbol that’s going to stay or go? A disappointing sophomore effort from Dan Gilroy, Roman J. Israel, Esq. Your email address will not be published. But it turns out Roman J. Israel, Esq. Neurodiversity: a person, a perspective, a movement. Steven Kaufman reviews the depiction of Asperger's syndrome in the movie 'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' As with many films dealing with autism, the protagonist is a savant who is superbly accomplished in a particular field (in this case, law) but struggles mightily with significant social challenges, such as the tendency to be awkward socially, miss social cues and to speak one’s mind directly, even at the cost of other people’s patience or respect. This is a minor plot point but it helps set up one of the film’s central conflicts: Israel is a born lawyer because of his commitment to justice and attention to detail. Roman Israel — or as he likes to say it, in his obsessive and literal way, Roman J. Israel, Esq. I grieve him still. This moment is illustrative of a common tendency among many people with Asperger’s Syndrome since they follow their own particular routine in any range of activities, from always eating a very specific type of food, having it arranged in a certain way on one’s plate (often not touching other items) to keeping the water piping set according to their own distinctive (rather than a stereotypical) preference. Celebrity fans and friends — from Rev. An unusual thing happened between the time Denzel Washington's "Roman J. Israel, Esq." is a dramatic thriller set in the underbelly of the overburdened Los Angeles criminal court system. “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” takes a unique approach as a film about autism since its portrayal is made from the vantage point of an African-American lawyer with Asperger’s Syndrome,” Nils Skudra. I often get people that do not want to acknowledge my diagnosis for whatever reason, despite the fact that it is so blatantly obvious when you have an understanding of the condition, along with a willingness to properly identify it in an accepting way. is the second movie this month with a comma in its title, a fact that is only slightly less interesting than the film itself, which is a disappointment coming from Dan Gilroy, the writer-director of Nightcrawler, and Denzel Washington, a modern screen icon and a movie star if ever there was one. premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival and its screening a month later at the Roman J. Israel, Esq. These days I don’t get out much. Non neuro-typical can often be classified using less positive terminologies, which I will not repeat, apart from “retard” which I actually do not mind, since sometimes it can be a good thing to be slightly out of step or slow. Washington does an excellent job of portraying the culture clash of a guy like Israel at a firm like Pierce’s, huddling in a corner or hunching over the kitchen counter while his new colleagues high-five and make domestic violence jokes. Learn how your comment data is processed. Roman J. Israel, Esq. In an industry where legends like De Niro and Pacino increasingly sleepwalk to paychecks, he simply does not slum it. The film astutely portrays numerous signs of Roman’s Asperger’s diagnosis, including an early scene in which we see his kitchen shelf stacked with perfectly lined rows of peanut butter which he routinely eats for dinner. Then the reviews have been in the mixed, and I have been appreciating the acting more than the story. With Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo, Lynda Gravatt. Hard-nosed liberal lawyer Roman J. Israel has been fighting the good fight forever while others take the credit. Was impressed with Washington way back when there was a Power 50 Hollywood test in mid-1995. “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” takes a unique approach as a film about autism since its portrayal is made from the vantage point of an African-American lawyer with Asperger’s Syndrome. After making a major moral compromise, Israel finds his fortunes improving rapidly and begins to reassess the values that have kept him friendless and cash-strapped. In short, my official files are inordinately thick and juicy. It is almost impossible for them to attract good-quality clients and move the case forward reasonably well. The Art of Autism, 855 S. Main Ave., Ste K. #313, Fallbrook, CA 92028. Roman J Israel, Esq. Roman J. Israel (Denzel Washington) is a high-functioning savant on the autism spectrum who has been practicing law in L.A. for the past 36 years. Everything matches in my diagnosis and of course it is intensely confirmed by my own experience of trying to exist in society with my high functioning mental aspect always at play, along with the notably unusual course my life has taken. Roman’s behavior in this scene is significant as an indicator of the shortcomings of direct talk as a trait associated with autism, as well as the problems of following communication since it is critical for lawyers to follow proper courtroom procedure, and therefore reserving one’s opinions in the event of an objection’s overruling is essential for maintaining the judge’s good graces. Playing a disabled character is notorious as a cynical fast-track to awards attention, but Washington is the last actor on earth who would need to resort to stunts to get his performance noticed. Rather, the norm is to portray autistic protagonists who are white, and in other films I have seen which do portray characters of color with autism, such as “Mozart and the Whale,” they are typically presented as background characters rather than playing a significant role. Review| Roman J. Israel, Esq. This tendency is similarly illustrated in the acclaimed “Good Doctor” miniseries whose autistic surgeon protagonist, Shaun Murphy, always eats a stack of pancakes with chocolate syrup for lunch and complains when the water piping in his apartment is not fixed in the distinctive way that he is accustomed to. ‘Roman J. Israel, Esq.’ is a dull and well-meaning examination of a solitary life Roman J. Israel, Esq. We are an international collaboration of talented individuals who have come together to display the creative abilities of people on the autism spectrum and others who are neurodivergent. is a profound disappointment, made all the more dispiriting due to the talent involved in making it. Roman J. Israel, Esq follows Roman, an eccentric but driven defense attorney out in Los Angeles. In Roman J. Israel, Esq., the dilemma of the independent-minded Israel evokes the condition of many conscientious individuals in various fields today, including the film industry. Culture ‘Roman J. Israel, Esq.’ Review Sloppy characterizations mar intriguing story about a burnt-out lawyer. at the Toronto International Film Festival. I also think that by not mentioning a specific diagnosis, the movie shows how, as an 60 something African American male, Roman may have never been officially diagnosed. 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