First off, Autism: The Musical is nowhere near as cloying as I feared it might be based on the title. I know I should keep an open mind before viewing the films for the Notable Videos Committee, but I cringed when I saw this title.

Overall, Autism: The Musical does an excellent job breaking down stereotypes of children with autism. It follows the story of one mother of an autistic child determined to push aside the low expectations foisted on children with autism and have them create and perform their own live show, resulting in The Miracle Project.

Along the way, the film also focuses on four other kids and their families. These five kids display a wide spectrum of symptoms that defy many of the presumptions of the condition.

The stories of and interviews with the families are very engaging. The film drags a bit when dealing with the preparations for the show. Or it least it drags in comparison with the rest of the film. But that is a minor complaint.

Another minor complaint, and a very subjective one at that, is that one of the mothers comes across as rather over-bearing and unpleasant. This adds some drama toward the end of the film as she clashes with the organizers of the show, but undermines the positive message of the film.