The Reason I Jump

This is a fascinating, sensitive portrayal of how nonverbal, neurodiverse young adults look at the world, communicate, and express their joy. The Reason I Jump deftly weaves in passages from the translated memoir as narration read over images of a young Japanese-British boy standing in for Higashida. Director Jerry Rothwell and cinematographer Ruben Woodin Dechamps do an excellent job of chronicling all five of the featured teens and young adults with autism.

Each of the stories is equally intriguing -- a rare feat in a documentary that focuses on multiple people -- and each reveals another aspect of what Higashida's book explores. Whether it's discussing how Joss doesn't experience time in a linear way and can recall moments from as early as toddlerhood as if they just occurred, or how Amrit doesn't speak but can express herself so fully via her extraordinary art, or the way that Ben and Emma, after more than a decade of friendship, were finally able to share their thoughts via letter board and text chats, the film always circles back to the memoir's revelations. Jestina's story is particularly memorable because she and her parents lead support groups for local parents who are struggling to deal with societal stigma (and even threats) against their children. Ultimately, this is a remarkable documentary that centers the neurodiverse even as it aims to educate the neurotypical.