Educational Media Reviews Online

Today's Man is the compelling story of Nicky Gottlieb—a young man carrying the diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome, a high functioning form of autism which affects every aspect of his life. Although extremely intelligent (he can tell you what day of the week you were born, or figure prime numbers into the thousands), Nicky lacks the social skills needed to successfully communicate and understand others. "Sometimes I don't look hard enough into a person's mind," Nicky admits. This can cause a few problems—especially when trying to hold down a job and live independently, neither of which he can seem to accomplish. Filmed by his older sister, Lizzie Gottlieb, the documentary spans 6 years of Nicky's life—providing a personal, sometimes humorous, account of the complex issues Nicky and his entire family must face. From Nicky's obsessions with schedules and patterns, to his addiction to television ("Can’t I just be somebody who is a little eccentric and watch TV in a systematic way?”), the viewer is given license to witness the perplexities and charms of Nicky's mind. While there have been a number of documentaries made about the effects of Asperger Syndrome, this film is unique in sensitivity and depth of content. Lizzie Gottlieb succeeds at depicting the issues and anxieties surrounding Asperger Syndrome with the acute observational powers of a sibling-- and wisdom of a parent. As a former Occupational Therapist, I highly recommend this quality film to any health care professional, educator, or colleague who wishes to have a better understanding of this baffling syndrome.