Rain Man (Special Edition)

Rain Man (Special Edition) [1989] [DVD]
Directed by Barry Levinson

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£3.49 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Rain Man is the kind of touching drama that Oscars are made for--and, sure enough, the film took Academy honours for best picture, director, screenplay, and actor (Dustin Hoffman) in 1988. Hoffman plays Raymond, an autistic savant whose late father has left him $3 million in a trust. This gets the attention of his materialistic younger brother, a hot-shot LA car dealer named Charlie (Tom Cruise) who wasn't even aware of Raymond's existence until he read his estranged father's will. Charlie picks up Raymond and takes him on a cross-country journey that becomes a voyage of discovery for Charlie, and, perhaps, for Raymond, too. Rain Man will either captivate you or irritate you (Raymond's sputtering of repetitious phrases is enough to drive anyone crazy), but it is obviously a labour of love for those involved. Hoffman had been attached to the film for many years, as various directors and writers came and went, but his persistence eventually paid off--kind of like Raymond in Las Vegas. Look for director Barry Levinson in a cameo as a psychiatrist near the end of the film. --Jim Emerson

Synopsis
Callous hustler Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) is busy working on his next deal when he receives word that his estranged father has died. After traveling back to Ohio from Los Angeles for the funeral, Charlie is miffed to find that although he will receive a vintage Buick from his father's estate, he isn't getting a cent of the three-million-dollar fortune. Instead, Charlie finds that the money has been left to the caretakers of his institutionalized autistic brother, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman). Once he gets over the shock of the existence of a brother of whom he seems to have no recollection, Charlie kidnaps Raymond and heads cross-country in the Buick in an attempt to get a cut of the inheritance to pay off some of his failing deals. However, during their adventure, Charlie not only learns how to deal with Raymond's many idiosyncrasies, but he also actually begins to care about his older brother, surprising even himself with his ability to love and his realization that money isn't necessarily the most important thing. Barry Levinson directs Ron Bass's script with impeccable timing and a wonderful sense of humor.

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