The Reason I Jump
Kino Lorber | Release Date (Streaming): January 8, 2021 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
83
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 17 Critic Reviews
Positive:
15
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
The Observer (UK)Wendy IdeJun 20, 2021
Rothwell uses the language of cinema – macro lens closeups, distortion, off-kilter framing and an evocative blend of sound design and score – to convey the autistic experience of the world. Read full review
100
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternJan 8, 2021
The concept is inspired, and inspiring—kids with a misorchestration of neurons, if that’s what it is, escaping from solitary confinement. More than that, the film is beautiful—the cinematography, by Ruben Woodin Dechamps, combines objective views of the subjects and their parents or teachers with startling visual analogues of the ways people with autism perceive the world they inhabit. And “The Reason I Jump” is deeply informative. Read full review
100
Original-CinThom ErnstJan 8, 2021
The Reason I Jump is a remarkable documentary not because of what it includes but because of what it avoids. Read full review
100
Screen DailyFionnuala HalliganJan 7, 2021
Care and respect is evident. Camerawork is beautiful, but in the service of the piece, not beauty itself. Sound design is enveloping, and together they convey worlds of light and water, of the humming from electricity that can travel for miles and of a range of emotions from anxiety to shame that run deeper and more vividly than it seems we can possibly understand. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin CrustJan 7, 2021
It’s a profound, immersive lesson in empathy that should resonate with anyone interested in neurodiversity or simply seeking a more inclusive society. Read full review
90
VarietyGuy LodgeJan 4, 2021
Nimbly switching between different lenses and sonic streams, Rothwell invites viewers inside the psychological isolation and overwhelming sensory awareness felt by people at various points on the spectrum, as well as cathartic breakthroughs in expression and connection with others. Read full review
83
IndieWireDavid EhrlichJan 7, 2021
If Jerry Rothwell’s film version of The Reason I Jump is far more effective and self-possessed than most documentary adaptations of “memoirs” tend to be, that’s largely because it sees Higashida’s book as a lens instead of as a subject, and refracts various other people through it in recognition of the rare tale that’s less important than how it’s translated. Read full review
83
The Film StageJohn FinkJan 4, 2021
While The Reason I Jump is a profound and moving experience, one that isn’t easy to forget, it’s most effective when operating as an experimental work, taking a unique and lyrical approach to a subject that has often focused on the relationships and social struggles its subjects feel. Read full review
80
EmpireIan FreerJun 18, 2021
Sensitively made, thought-provoking and ultimately moving, The Reason I Jump provides telling insights into the neurodiverse worldview. The result is a powerful documentary that presents life through fresh eyes. Read full review
80
Time OutPhil de SemlyenJun 17, 2021
It’s a journey into the lives – and headspaces – of several young non-verbal autistic people around the world that’s part immersive deep dive, part primal scream of upset and frustration, and part cri de coeur for more understanding and empathy from the rest of us. Read full review
80
The GuardianPeter BradshawJun 16, 2021
It is an intriguing and empathic study, which could help all of us to understand. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterLeslie FelperinJan 4, 2021
Aptly enough, it's a work that enlightens and informs but that is also ravishing to behold. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubBeatrice LoayzaJan 7, 2021
It’s a blatantly didactic film, yet its focus on advocacy feels justified given the misconceptions that continue to dominate society’s understanding of the autism community. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineDerek SmithJan 4, 2021
The film weaves together the stories of five mostly nonverbal autistic teens to present a rich tapestry of the autistic experience. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenJan 7, 2021
The Reason I Jump will be revelatory for viewers who know little about the subject, and affirmative for caregivers and parents of children on the autism spectrum. What everyone, however, can take away from the film is the knowledge that just because someone is unexpressive, it doesn’t mean they are without thoughts and ideas; and just because someone’s bodily motions may appear odd and eccentric, it doesn’t mean they are possessed or unmanageable. Read full review
60
The New York TimesBen KenigsbergJan 7, 2021
The portraits are moving and informative. . . . As an aesthetic endeavor, though, The Reason I Jump is questionable, regardless of how much sensitivity the filmmakers took in their approach. Read full review
50
RogerEbert.comSimon AbramsJan 8, 2021
The movie version of The Reason I Jump does not, in other words, successfully illustrate what its title promises, but rather generalizes about a sensitive topic to the point of inadvertently making it seem more unapproachable. Read full review
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