Inside I'm dancing

Disabled and in love

INSIDE I'M DANCING
Cert. 15
Director: Damien O'Donnell

This is a film set in Ireland and it engages us in the struggles and dilemmas of severely disabled people.

Michael is restricted to a wheelchair, and his cerebral palsy makes it difficult for him to be understood. He is innocently happy in his sheltered existence at the Carrigmoor home. Then the new boy Rory comes, also in a wheelchair and bristling with anger and rebellion against the caring institution, its people and its restrictions. Rory can understand what Michael says, when no one else can. As soon as he arrives, you are fairly certain how the plot is going to develop. Sure enough Rory leads Michael to escape institutional life and set up home together, cared for by a very attractive young woman. What happens next you will have to find out.

It is a film which is serious, funny and poignant (with lots of bad language) all at the same time. Its central concern is about individual freedom and fulfilment in life, especially for the disabled. But for the Christian it is this vision of freedom and fulfilment which is flawed. Understandably the institutionalised care seems cloying and needs criticising. But you feel that the practical problems for a disabled person living in the community are not faced in any realistic way by the story line. Surely the answer is some kind of balance between the two extremes depicted in this film. Overall I felt the film was moving and worthwhile, with a great performance from James MacAvoy as Rory. But it goes without saying that there had to be a scene which includes the obligatory caricature of and sneer at born-again Christians.

JEB

John Benton

© Evangelicals Now - December 2004
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