Fashionable Media Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.
Fly Away Trailer from Fly Away on Vimeo.
“An estimated 1.5 million individuals in the U.S. and tens of millions worldwide are affected by autism. Government statistics suggest the prevalence rate of autism is increasing 10-17 percent annually. There is not established explanation for this increase, although improved diagnosis and environmental influences are two reasons often considered. Studies suggest boys are more likely than girls to develop autism and receive the diagnosis three to four times more frequently. Current estimates are that in the United States alone, one out of 70 boys is diagnosed with autism.”(Quote from: http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/index.php)
Our Review
Fly Away is a dramatic movie revealing both the challenges and realities of living each day with an autistic child. Jeanne is a single mother of a young teen girl named Mandy, who has autism. I love the way they relate to one another in this movie. Yet found it sobering when Mandy experienced meltdowns. I think many of us as parents have had little ones have tantrums or meltdowns at one point or another, but could not imagine a child my size doing it and physically attacking me.
The title of the movie is a depiction of when each of us has to let go of our child. It was a struggle for me to see the battle between Jeanne, the school administration and her husband trying to decide what was best for Mandy future-wise.
I hated the language in a couple parts and did not think it was necessary to use the “F” word in what otherwise would be a family-friendly movie. If we had clear-play we would allow our children to watch Fly Away. I’d have to watch it again to make a note of where those scenes are so we could fast-forward them before we would let our children watch it.
I was also disappointed with the ending. Both my husband and I were like, “That’s it?”
I still give this movie a thumbs up though as we were entertained with the humor Jeanne and Mandy shared as well as inspired by Jeanne’s devotion to her daughter.