Peter Naess directed this unusual love story that stars Josh Hartnett as Donald Morton, a young man with Asperger's syndrome, which is a high functioning form of Autism. Despite this, Donald has somehow organized a support group for other Aspergian people, where he meets an attractive but troubled woman named Isabelle, who is also attracted, but proceeds to turn his life upside down after their first date on Halloween. Though this drives Donald crazy, and Isabelle away, their relationship is hard to deny, as they will eventually discover... Wonderful to see Asperger's portrayed positively on screen, but it is a shame that it comes in such a clichéd and predictable film, and Isabelle seems more like she has Tourette's syndrome than Asperger's!

Many people have doubts about Josh Hartnett's acting abilities. He's landed some good performances in his earliest roles (The Virgin Suicides, O), but once the teenagers adopted him as the next big celebrity crush he got swallowed in the hype that led to Pearl Harbor. This destroyed any credibility he might have as an actor, and he has spent the rest of the decade trying to prove himself as a serious actor and to get rid of the hearth throb image.He completely succeeds in this goal with Mozart and the Whale. He plays Donald, a young man with Asperger's syndrome so well, you forget it's him. The performance is rough, unpolished and honest, and while it might not be technically perfect it's evident Hartnett was very inspired and motivated. It is a very good performance, and anybody who doubts his acting abilities should watch this film before making a judgment. The only problem is: not many people saw this film. And it is a shame.Radha Mitchell plays Isabelle, a young woman with Asperger's, and the film follows the two protagonists fall in love. Mitchell is also good in her role, but is less sympathetic; that is, until you realize what it seems like annoying, shallow girl, is actually the display of her Asperger's syndrome.The film itself, however, is full of the problems. It tries to be a romantic comedy about an unusual couple, but it doesn't work that way. Rumor says something went wrong in the production, and due to some executive meddling the film failed to be a drama it was meant to be. Allegedly, this made Josh Hartnett mad and he chose not to promote the film, which is a shame, because it's probably his best performance to date.Sometimes, it feels like a genuine story about people with Asperger's meeting, falling in love and having a relationship (it is based on true people and events), but at the moments it is reduced to the common denominator. You simply can't do that with a theme like this; this one doesn't work as a romantic comedy with quirky protagonists. It also feels like good 30 minutes of it is missing; it's rushed, especially in the last third.Still, even simplified and "Hollywoodised", this film is a good watch. But it's mainly because of the main cast, particularly Hartnett. He finds his voice like never before and manages to make us believe he's an individual with Asperger's living his life, falling in love, and trying to resolve everyday problems.At the end, the film is disappointing, but the best scenes deserve to be watched over and over again. Essentially, this film is a missed potential with some great acting.

i have aspergers syndrome, and i found mozart and the whale to be a touching and relatable film. i thought this movie did a really good job showing autism as a spectrum with the different characters. most other movies about autism show the syndrome as an extreme, where the characters possess every characteristic of the disorder, and in an exaggerated form. i also liked how the characters the two main characters had different characteristics for aspergers, showing that there isn't a typical aspie. i agree that with the review below that some aspects were exaggerated, though you should remember that the main characters also have savant syndrome, with not all aspies do. and i disagree with the statement that the movie didn't show aspies as higher functioning. it showed the characters in the movie as living on their own and having steady jobs, again showing the spectrum of autism. a big thing with aspergers is the inability to develop strong emotional connections with others. and i think that this movie conveyed that, and it makes the love story between the two main characters all the more relatable.

I'm not really a critic but I know what I like. The story was listed as a 'comedy' but of course, it is a serious drama of human emotions with the monkey wrenches of odd and obscure brain activities. The reviews prompted interest along with the weird title & the lack of anything else to watch. The viewing was a fine surprise! There was a full range of emotions throughout the entire display. The leads were excellent & volatile. Gary Cole is always a kewl scene in any movie & here he showed a sensitivity we should all admire & emulate. The rest of the supporters were very believable & at times very whimsical & important to demonstrate the highs & lows most probably share in varying degrees by all sensitive beings. Anyone criticizing this movie just really doesn't have enough compassion to forgive any shortcomings, IF any were there! Yes, there were tears of joy to conclude abruptly with the happiest ending. Mozart & the Whale II should be in the making to continue our splendid ride through this tumultuous journey known as life!