Autistic People Deserve Better Than ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

The inclusion of an autistic actor can’t redeem a film that doesn’t see her character as a real person.

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Apple TV+/Apple TV+

Cha Cha Real Smooth is a selfish movie. Writer/producer/director/editor Cooper Raiff, who also stars in the film as protagonist Andrew, has a brief but noticeable history of making art all about himself, and the Apple TV+/Sundance darling is only the latest example.

In 2020, Raiff broke through at SXSW with his...

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