Mozart & the Whale

PG-13

2005

1 hr. 32 min.

Comedy

Drama

Romance

List

Reviews

80%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

New York taxi driver Donald Morton (Josh Hartnett) has Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism. Proficient with numbers but shy around people, Donald organizes a support group for others with with his condition. Isabelle Sorenson (Radha Mitchell), who is direct to a fault and practical, but easily upset by any perceived insult, joins the group. The two fall in love, but their mutual difficulty in coping with their condition threatens their fragile relationship.

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isla s

This film has a quirky charm about it but it doesn't entirely make sense either, I felt. The plot is a bit 'fuzzy' at best and I'm not sure everything was well explained. I thought it was both quite cheesy (in a nice enough, endearing sort of a way, I guess, with a smidgen of sentimentality present) and mildly amusing at times, although I was aware it relies on stereotypes of neurodivergent people - those with autism or more specifically, aspbergers I believe. I wouldn't say its especially original but its a relatively light watch and I don't think its entirely offensive or anything...its ok, a bit entertaining now and again but not great by any means, I wouldn't go out of your way to see this, no.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I watched this movie about 15 years ago in school. I have aspergers syndrome and it was shown to us for that very reason. I went into it with a negative attitude("I don't want to see this dumb movie!!") but came out of it with a genuinely powerful experience. I have seen this movie only once, and it has stayed with me to the point where I brought it up today as an example of excellent portrayal of autistic people by non-autistic actors. As someone who has this condition and these struggles to some extent, it was incredibly powerful to see a movie like this. What some seem to perceive as an empty feel-good crowdpleaser for non-disabled audiences was, to me, something that filled me with hope for the future and a sense that perhaps I wasn't doomed to be alone and misunderstood at a point in my life where that seemed to be the case. This movie, despite having seen it only once, had such a huge impact on my life that I can do nothing but praise it highly.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

steve d

Off the wall, really sweet, and Hartnett especially is great.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Absolutely loved it! I think this movie is an overlooked underappreciated gem!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Uneven love story is nothing less than riveting. While one won't learn too much about the Syndrome, one can enjoy a different kind of love story. Should be on Blu-ray.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I thought it was great.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Petter Næss

Director

Josh Hartnett

Donald

Radha Mitchell

Isabella

Gary Cole

Wallace

Sheila Kelley

Janice

Erica Leerhsen

Bronwin

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Caroline Narby

Bitch Media

Like Adam, this film is intended to offer a non-disabled audience a sense of "betterment." It's meant to be "uplifting," and "inspiring."

Jan 11, 2021

Full Review

Sheri Linden

Hollywood Reporter

Strong performances anchor this low-key romantic drama about two people with Asperger syndrome.

Feb 22, 2006

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

From the first, there is a refreshing absence of special pleading or under-the-microscope examination in Naess' approach.

Feb 7, 2006

Full Review

Scott Weinberg

DVD Clinic

Shapeless and redundant, this flick is exactly the sort of movie you'd envision if I said "mildly retarded yet physically gorgeous young romance."

Rated: 2/5

Dec 12, 2006

Full Review

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Synopsis

New York taxi driver Donald Morton (Josh Hartnett) has Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism. Proficient with numbers but shy around people, Donald organizes a support group for others with with his condition. Isabelle Sorenson (Radha Mitchell), who is direct to a fault and practical, but easily upset by any perceived insult, joins the group. The two fall in love, but their mutual difficulty in coping with their condition threatens their fragile relationship.

Director: Petter Næss
Executive Producer: Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short, John Thompson, Josef Lautenschlager, Andreas Thiesmeyer, Gerd Koechlin, Manfred Heid
Screenwriter: Ronald Bass
Production Co: Robert Lawrence Productions, Equity Pictures Medienfonds, North by Northwest Entertainment, Millennium Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Thematic Material|Sexual Content|Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012