Motherless Brooklyn

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I noticed there was a film out this week that includes a character with Tourette syndrome. The film is called Motherless Brooklyn. One of the stars in the film is Bruce Willis.

Tourette syndrome is a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds (tics) that can't be easily controlled. For instance, you might repeatedly blink your eyes, shrug your shoulders or blurt out unusual sounds or offensive words. Tics typically show up between ages 2 and 15, with the average being around 6 years of age. Males are about three to four times more likely than females to develop Tourette syndrome. It is a co-morbid disorder with Autism Spectrum Disorders such as autism and Aspergers syndrome.

The film summary reads:
Lionel Essrog, a lonely private detective living with Tourette Syndrome, ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend, Frank Minna. Armed only with a few clues and the engine of his obsessive mind, Lionel unravels closely guarded secrets that hold the fate of New York in the balance. In a mystery that carries him from gin-soaked jazz clubs in Harlem to the hard-edged slums of Brooklyn and, finally, into the gilded halls of New York's power brokers, Lionel contends with thugs, corruption and the most dangerous man in the city to honor his friend and save the woman who might be his own salvation.

I went to the theater today and watched this movie. I liked it and would recommend it. It is similar to a detective film noir taking place in the 1950's in New York City.

The lead character is Lionel Essrog who has Tourette Syndrome. Since this condition is a co-morbid disorder with Autism Spectrum Disorders such as autism and Aspergers syndrome, I wondered if the character also matched other Aspie traits. I feel several of the traits of the lead character were a match.

The character often displayed tics and those tics were often set off during times of stress. One of the things I found interesting is that sometimes the tics were also triggered by loud music. It was almost as if his tics synced with the jazz music. I wonder if that is also a common trait.

The character displayed photographic memory. Many children with Aspergers have an almost photographic memory.

The character was oversensitive to loud sounds.

The character was physically abused as a child.

The character also portrayed another Aspie trait that is a little rarer. He was fearless. Sometimes that is described as a lack of common sense. Someone who is less concerned about their own safety.

The character also was a type of puzzle solver. He was an insatiable desire to understand the things hidden from view, to solve a mystery.

The character also identified himself with obsessive compulsive disorder.

Finally, a relationship with someone who has Aspergers tends to be free from bias and discrimination based on race, gender, age or other differences. They judge people based on their behavior not the color of their skin, socioeconomic status or political influence. That was also self-evident in the film.

In thinking about this film a little more, there were two other important Aspie traits that I overlooked. They were fierce loyalty and perseverance.

The lead character, Lionel, was an orphan when he was young. His parents died and he was placed in an orphanage where he grew up. His tics probably made him an easy target for bullying. Frank, another orphan at the orphanage, stepped in and took him under his wing and kept him safe. He gave him the nickname "Motherless Brooklyn" because he came from Brooklyn and was motherless. Later in life, Frank, hired Lionel despite his condition to work in his detective agency. So Lionel's loyalty towards Frank was an important element in the story.

So one of the traits of Aspies is a fierce loyalty.
* They are usually loyal and dependable. Competing to get ahead is less important than solving problems and meeting challenges. Conscientiousness, faithfulness and devotion to duty matter more than ambition, especially if that ambition would cause others to suffer.

So when Frank was murdered, it was very natural for Lionel to drill down and find out who and why.

[This trait also played an important role in another film about an Aspie character that I liked called "The Accountant".]

The other trait is perseverance.
* Adults with Aspergers pursue ideas they believe in without being deterred by what others say. They are not easily swayed by others’ opinions, nor do they give up because someone tries to convince them otherwise.
* They are persistent, and when they set their minds to something or make a promise they can usually be trusted to follow through.

Without these two core traits there would be no story, no movie.