Life, Animated
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Roger Ross Williams
Written by	Ron Suskind
Based on	Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism byRon Suskind
Produced by	Julie Goldman Roger Ross Williams Carolyn Hepburn Christopher Clements
Starring	Jonathan Freeman Gilbert Gottfried Alan Rosenblatt Owen Suskind Ron Suskind
Cinematography	Tom Bergmann
Edited by	David Teague
Music by	Dylan Stark T. Griffin
Production companies	Motto Pictures A&E IndieFilms Roger Ross Williams Productions
Distributed by	The Orchard
Release date	July 1, 2016 (2016-07-01)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Life, Animated is a 2016 Americanindependent^[1][2][3]documentary film by directorRoger Ross Williams.^[4] It is co-produced by Williams withJulie Goldman, Carolyn Hepburn and Christopher Clements.Life, Animated is based on journalistRon Suskind's 2014 bookLife, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism, which tells the story of his son, Owen Suskind, who struggles withautism and learned how to communicate with the outside world through his love ofDisney animated films.^[5]

Upon its release, the film received generally positive reviews from critics and won numerous awards including theSundance Film Festival award for Best Direction and the Special AchievementAnnie Award.^[6] It was also nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film category at the89th Academy Awards, but lost toO.J.: Made in America.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Owen Suskind was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. As Owen withdrew into his silent state, his parents almost lost hope that he would find some way to meaningfully interact with his world. That way was found through animated films, especially ones byWalt Disney Animation Studios, which provided Owen a way to understand the world through its stories to the point of creating his own. This film covers the life of Owen and how he communicates with the help of Disney and his family. However, Owen soon learns as well that there is more to real life, such as relationships and breakups, than what Disney can illustrate in animation even as his family prepares itself for an uncertain future with him.^[11][12]

• Jonathan Freeman as the voice ofJafar
• Gilbert Gottfried as the voice ofIago
• Alan Rosenblatt
• Owen Suskind as himself
• Ron Suskind as himself

The animation is done byMac Guff (not to be confused with Illumination Mac Guff, now known asIllumination Studios Paris, an animation studio founded by Mac Guff but later purchased byIllumination Entertainment and produced films such asDespicable Me andThe Lorax).^[13] To secure the rights for the clips and characters used in the film, Williams showed the unfinished product to the heads of department put together by Disney Productions president Sean Bailey. Williams referred to it as "the day I made the lawyers cry" after the end of the presentation. The films selected for the film were "100% Suskind".^[14]

The review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes reported a 94% approval rating based on 116 reviews, with an average rating of 7.71/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Life, Animated offers a heartwarming look at one family's journey, and a fascinating message that's more than enough to outweigh its unanswered questions."^[15] OnMetacritic, the film holds a score of 75 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.^[16]

The Guardian's critic Lanre Bakare praised the film and said, "It's a beguiling mix of animated storytelling and narration that doesn't flinch from exploring the emotional highs and lows that accompany a life with autism."^[17]Kenneth Turan ofLA Times lauded the film and said, "[Williams] spent two years on this project, and the trust everyone involved placed in him allowed for an emotional honesty that isLife, Animated's greatest strength."^[18] Writing forVariety, Justin Chang wrote, "This latest film fromRoger Ross Williams (God Loves Uganda) teems with insights into how children's fantasy can and can't bridge a developmental gap, but works on an even more basic, emotional level as a warm testament to a family's love and resilience."^[19]The Hollywood Reporter's Duane Byrge called it "a documentary gem."^[20] Ann Hornaday ofThe Washington Post positively reviewed the series and said, "Life, Animated makes fascinating points, about the power of cinema, about meeting our loved ones where they are and, as Ron says, about who gets to decide what constitutes a meaningful life"^[21]Rolling Stone's chief film criticPeter Travers said, "In no way does Owen's story claim to be a cure-all. Instead of false hope, it offers up possibility, the chance of a stimulus that might get past the blocks of developmental disorder. That's more than encouraging.Life, Animated is truly inspirational."^[22]

Writing forThe A.V. Club, Noel Murray said, "On the list of Disney-related 2016 releases about child-rearing and handicaps, this one goes just aboveFinding Dory. What it lacks in wacky hijinks, it makes up in hard truths."^[23] Reviewing forRogerEbert.com, film critic Sheila O'Malley wrote, "Powerful and emotional, without being manipulative. It is deeply inspiring, without trying to be. It is honest about Owen's struggles, and the struggles of his family."^[24]Entertainment Weekly's Joe McGovern also lauded the series, saying, "The Suskinds' humongous hearts are obviously in the right place and their openness is to be admired and encouraged - even if a book, more than a movie, remains the better venue to fairly and honestly tell Owen's extraordinary story."^[25]

Some publications however were more critical towards the film. In a lukewarm review ofEmpire David Parkinson wrote, "A touch twee at times, but the use of classic and original animation is admirable, while Owen emerges as the king of sidekicks."^[26] Film criticAnthony Lane ofThe New Yorker said, "Owen has made immense progress, to whichLife, Animated is a stirring tribute, yet it leaves a trail of questions unanswered or unasked."^[27]The New York Times's Jeannette Catsoulis quipped, "Belaboring the cartoon connection, the director leaves the family struggles that enrich Mr. Suskind's 2014 book of the same title stubbornly veiled."^[28] In a less enthusiastic review forSlant Magazine Clayton Dillard stated, "It never addresses Disney's wholly manufactured stranglehold on turning adolescent desire into a consumerist impulse."^[29]

An exclusive short, based on Owen'sfan fiction featuring a younger version of himself and his favorite Disney sidekicks battling against the evil Fuzzbutch, was released on The Wrap in 2016.^[30]

Sidekicks used in the film:

• Baloo fromThe Jungle Book (1967)^[30]
• Timon and Rafiki fromThe Lion King (1994)^[30]
• Iago and Abu fromAladdin (1992)^[30]
• Lucky Jack fromHome on the Range (2004)^[30]
• Sebastian fromThe Little Mermaid (1989)^[30]

• Life, Animated onA&E
• Life, Animated atIMDb
• Life, Animated atRotten Tomatoes
• Life, Animated atMetacritic

• 2016 films
• 2010s American films
• 2010s English-language films
• 2016 documentary films
• American animated documentary films
• American documentary films
• American films with live action and animation
• Animation fandom
• Autism in the arts
• Disney documentary films
• Disney fandom
• Documentary films about animation
• Documentary films about autism
• Documentary films about children
• Documentary films about fandom
• Documentary films about Jews and Judaism
• Films based on non-fiction books
• The Orchard (company) films
• Sundance Film Festival award–winning films
• Annie Award–winning films
• Films directed by Roger Ross Williams
• Non-fiction books adapted into films
• English-language documentary films
• 2016 independent films
• American independent films

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from March 2025
• Template film date with 1 release date
• Rotten Tomatoes ID same as Wikidata