Woody Harrelson’s new film means well – but disabled people are more than mascots | Cathy Reay

Feelgood comedy Champions wins points for casting learning disabled actors – but Hollywood should be aiming higher than the way it treats their characters

‘I wanna say the right thing but if I can’t call them the r-word, what can I call them?” Marcus (played by Woody Harrelson) is a basketball coach in court for drunk-driving and aggressive behaviour, and this is what he asks the judge rather pathetically at the beginning of his new movie Champions. “I suggest you call them by their names,” she replies tersely, sentencing him to 90 days’ community service coaching the Friends, a basketball team with learning disabilities. Wow – what a punishment! My heart bleeds.

This is Marcus’s chance to redeem himself and ultimately, become A Good Guy^TM. Within 90 days, he must halt his drink problem and stop resorting to violence when he doesn’t get his own way. Oh, and he’s a womaniser too – spending time with some disabled people will probably fix that as well, right? Yuck.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sYaQ4Vi