Cute Xavier Norman Peterman plays the autistic boy Mario in this French Canadian movie. He uses his facial expressions to perfection in playing Mario, the boy who understands but chooses not to speak.
The story is about the summer that Mario's teenaged older brother Simon, played by 26 year old Francis Reddy, finds a girl and starts to build a life for himself. We see Mario adjusting, in his silent way, to the loss of his big brother who has been a constant comfort in his life.
Another star in the movie is the beautiful Gaspe coast on the Gulf of St Lawrence. The bare but beautiful landscape is a good background to this summer adventure.
This is not a children's movie. It portrays the world of an autistic child to perfection. See Mario struggle to communicate with his family. See his face as he understands their jokes, receives their affection, yet chooses not to speak and join in. And see that beautiful bond between two brothers, made more special by the vulnerability of the little one.
