Chris Cooper narrates with passion and emotional investment. The doc follows three young adults with intellectual disabilities (Micah, Naieer, and Naomie) welcoming us into their worlds. Interspersed in between these warm, eye-opening stories, is a quick history of the unbecoming treatment of people deemed too intellectually handicapped to be included in society. Cooper explains the imperfections in the often biased or simply random methods used to make such determinations (especially the standard IQ tests), and points out that many of those who fail these tests are perfectly capable of understanding (and in fact, acing) standard classroom challenges. (His son being a shining example.)

The documentary is engaging and educational, despite the fact that a few camera lenses could have used some cleaning. A few inclusion-proponent educators are included, but I would have liked to have heard more specific discussion on the logistics of inclusion from the educational institution POV. Overall, important and successful at its apparent goal -- awareness spreading.

-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --