Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2029 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-02-01
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Italian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 127 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Rain Man is the kind of touching drama that Oscars are made for--and, sure enough, the film took Academy honours for best picture, director, screenplay and actor (Dustin Hoffman) in 1988. Hoffman plays Raymond, an autistic savant whose late father has left him $3 million in a trust. This gets the attention of his materialistic younger brother, a hot-shot LA car dealer named Charlie (Tom Cruise) who wasn't even aware of Raymond's existence until he read his estranged father's will. Charlie picks up Raymond and takes him on a cross-country journey that becomes a voyage of discovery for Charlie, and, perhaps, for Raymond too. Rain Man will either captivate or irritate you (Raymond's sputtering of repetitious phrases is enough to drive anyone crazy), but it is obviously a labour of love for those involved. Hoffman had been attached to the film for many years, as various directors and writers came and went, but his persistence eventually paid off--kind of like Raymond in Las Vegas. Look for director Barry Levinson in a cameo as a psychiatrist near the end of the film. --Jim Emerson, Amazon.com

Video Description
DVD Special Features

8 page booklet revealing an insight into the making of the film
Chapter Search
Original Theatrical Trailer
Soundtrack: English/German/Spanish/French/Italian
Subtitles: English/German/Dutch/Spanish/French/Swedish/Portuguese/Danish/Norwegian/Finnish/Hard of Hearing - English/German

Synopsis
Callous hustler Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) is busy working on his next deal when he receives word that his estranged father has died. After travelling back to Ohio from Los Angeles for the funeral, Charlie is miffed to find that although he will receive a vintage Buick from his father's estate, he isn't getting a cent of the three-million-dollar fortune. Instead, Charlie finds that the money has been left to the caretakers of his institutionalized autistic brother, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman). Once he gets over the shock of the existence of a brother of whom he seems to have no recollection, Charlie kidnaps Raymond and heads cross-country in the Buick in an attempt to get a cut of the inheritance to pay off some of his failing deals. However, during their adventure, Charlie not only learns how to deal with Raymond's many idiosyncrasies, but he also actually begins to care about his older brother, surprising even himself with his ability to love and his realization that money isn't necessarily the most important thing.


Barry Levinson (GOOD MORNING VIETNAM, DINER) directs Barry Morrow and Ron Bass's script with impeccable timing and a wonderful sense of humour. All three were awarded Oscars for their efforts, as was Hoffman for his truly mesmerising performance as the autism-afflicted Raymond.

Customer Reviews

I Have To Do This Now...
I put off watching this film, having bought it, because I thought that a couple of hours of two brothers crossing the USA (and one of them autistic at that) would be a dreadful bore. The same feelings on the part of film producers meant that Rain Man nearly never got made. I was wrong and so were they. This is a brilliant film. I agree that the very end is a little so-so, but the other two hours or so is gripping, moving and interesting in its exposition (through the superb acting of Dustin Hoffman) of the autistic state or one form of it. Don't be put off. Watch this.

Oscar winning performance by Hoffman
This is a wonderful touching film and one that gives the average viewer with little first hand experience a touch of insight into autism.

The plot revolves around the two Babbitt brothers, Raymond and Charlie. After the death of their father, the handsome, materialistic, self absorbed Charlie (Tom Cruise) learns that he has a long lost older brother named Raymond, who's autistic and also the sole beneficiary of his father's fortune. Charlie kidnaps his brother from the mental institution where he is resident, and the pair set out on a cross country journey.

Charlie starts out trying to manipulate some of the inheritance out of his brother. Raymond is an idiot savant with an incredible ability to do mathematical problems in his head. So Charlie decides to take advantage of his brother's remarkable talent by taking him to Los Vegas so he can count cards. Gradually, he starts getting rather attached to his endearing (but sometimes quite difficult to deal with) savant brother. As time passes, an unusual relationship and close bond develops between the successful and mentally handicapped brothers, as Charlie realizes that he is indeed "his brother's keeper".

One brother (Charlie) changes during the film, while the other (Raymond) remains pretty constant. Tom Cruise is memorable as the brother learning to love and care for his brother, coping with the challenges of autism. Dustin Hoffman is of course absolutely brilliant as Raymond, the role for which he won a much deserved Oscar. He is an extremely endearing character, with a particular fondness for Judge Wapner of The People's Court, which he watches every afternoon religiously, without fail. Wait until you see Raymond taking dancing lessons. By the movie's end, every viewer has learned to love Raymond; he's everyone's brother.

Very touching ending which I won't give away. An incredible film, an education in autism, and a legendary savant (who seems real, not fictional) living on in our hearts.

Hallmark
Finally got around to watching this after avoiding it because of the presence of Tom Cruise. To my mind Cruise has only made one great film; Born on the 4th of July. Rain Man is a surprisingly slight film about two brothers forced together by the death of their father, they both have similar personality disorders but one of them is that way by choice. Tom Cruise does his Risky Business/Jerry Magure/Tom Gun wise cracking arsehole bit (yawn) and Dustin Hoffman just gets on with the brilliant acting. You can see the end an absolute mile off and watching it without the hype I couldn't see what the fuss was about; it's Hallmark made-for-TV-fare.