Rory O’Shea Was Here centers on Michael (Steven Robertson) and Rory (James McAvoy), two young men with mobility disabilities who leave an assisted living facility to live on their own terms. The challenges they encounter are numerous, from having to petition to be granted their own right to live as they chose (and, in Rory’s case, being refused) to being limited in their choice of home by the absence of a wheelchair ramp. This film gives an enlightening depiction of the challenges of navigating a society that was not designed for your needs.
I do wish they had taken the opportunity to cast actual people with mobility disabilities in the roles of Rory and Michael. Although neither man’s performance came off as disrespectful or caricature-like, but casting physically abled actors in the roles of people with disabilities detracts from the empowering message the movie is meant to convey.
Overall, though, I thought this was an excellent movie with an eye-opening depiction of the struggles of living with a disability in an ableist society.
References
O’Donnell, D. (Director). (2004). Rory O’Shea was here [Motion picture]. Universal Studios.
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