What makes a person different, and who is considered normal? The 2025 film The Unbreakable Boy, directed by Jon Gunn, is a complex film to dive into, as it attempts to expand mainstream representation of autism and disability. Based on a true story, the film follows the life of a young boy named Austin LeRette (played by Jacob Laval) who has autism and osteogenesis imperfecta which is also known as brittle bone disease.
It centers around Austin's day-to-day life, blending diverse moments filled with sentiment with the people around him, specifically his dad, allowing people to see life through his eyes. The biggest contribution to representation is the choice to have a lead character whose life is rarely dramatized on screen. Austin's combined physical and mental disability calls into question the film narrative that favors "normal" labels, encouraging viewers to question what constitutes being "normal" in their minds.