Rain Man is a 1988 American comedy-drama which is a richly rewarding movie leaving players with an unforgettable emotional experience. Barry Levinson directed this gem of a film and has an all-star cast featuring Dustin Hoffman (Raymond Babbitt), Tom Cruise (Charlie Babbitt) and Valeria Golino (Susanna) as the main characters.
The Main Story
Raymond Babbitt was inspired by a real person named Kim Peek, who had a rare condition called savant syndrome, which gave him many talents which included an incredible memory. The story is about a wheeler-dealer (Tom Cruise) who finds out he has been cut out of his father’s will. He finds out that his brother, who is confined to an institution is the sole heir to his father’s fortune. The will was worth $3 million and all Charlie got out of it was his father’s 1949 Buick rainmaster car.
Charlie then abducts his brother to get his hands on the money, and it sees the brothers take off on a cross country to California in the old Buick his father left him. The trip proves to be a profound learning experience. Initially, Charlie has nothing but money on his mind and upon learning his brother can calculate complicated mathematical problems this selfish yuppie uses it to his advantage. He starts visiting gambling venues in Las Vegas where he gets Raymond to counts cards at the Blackjack and Craps tables. It was a very profitable venture, and Raymond wins enough for Charlie to settle all of his debts.
The Ending
By the time they return home Charlie realises he is more interested in caring for Raymond than getting half of the inheritance. It’s a profound theme and highlights the importance of family. Rain Man was the first movie to win both an Academy Award and the Berlin International Film Festivals, Golden Bear award.
