“A Mile in His Shoes” Review

As many of you know I have a brother with autism. This is probably the main reason I feel drawn to movies or books about autism and other disabilities. When given the chance to review the movie A Mile In His Shoes I jumped on it.

In this movie, Murph, the coach of a struggling semi-pro baseball team is on a recruiting trip when he happens to find Mickey, the son of a poor farmer. Murph discovers that Mickey has an amazing arm, but also that Mickey struggles with Asperger's Syndrome. Eventually Murph convinces Mickey to join his team and the entire cast changes as they get to know Mickey better, and come to understand Asperger's better.

Honestly, I struggled quite a bit throughout this movie. The way Mickey’s own father treats him angered me and broke my heart. I know full well that disabilities are misunderstood even within families of those who are disabled, but it still frustrated me to watch it on my screen. The ignorance of others on the team as far as how to treat Mickey also irked me. But, it was rewarding as a a viewer to watch the growth of all the characters as they come to accept Mickey for who he is, and to see Mickey eventually accept himself throughout the movie.

If you or someone you know struggles with the effects of a disability, this movie has a great message…one of hope and potential. This is also a great tool for parents and educators to spread awareness of disabilities; specifically Asperger’s.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”