Vince is a former boy band member who has now fallen on hard times. To make money, he now busks on the streets of London. Despite his former celebrity status, very few people recognise his face or his talents.
Stevie’s mother is skeptical of Stevie’s dreams of going to music college because he is autistic.
The story of Vince and Stevie’s unlikely friendship is a heartwarming tale of hope and determination. When Vince discovers his drumming ability, he sees an opportunity to achieve fame and fortune. However, their friendship is not without its challenges; both Vince and Stevie are struggling with their personal lives. Despite these obstacles, they remain friends until the end.
Vince manages to persuade Amber to let her son play alongside him at a gig but when it goes badly wrong, she forbids him from seeing his son again. This is heartbreaking for both Vince and Stevie as they both recognise their own potential for musical stardom. Vince later manages to make Amber change her mind and he is given the opportunity to reconnect and perform with Stevie again. But when Vince is then offered a chance to perform with a former bandmate who has formed a successful career, he is suddenly faced with a choice.
Should he grab his second chance at fame on the world stage? Or should he continue his friendship with Stevie and support the young man with his musical dreams? ..
In the end, the movie is about a young autistic boy, played by Will Smith, who must come to terms with his autism and find ways to cope with it. While some viewers may be more interested in the ending than others, the movie as a whole is worth watching for its unique take on autism and its exploration of its effects on people.
The movie is a good one, with excellent performances from Skrien and Long and a storyline that isn’t overly sentimental, despite a tragic plot point that forms a part of Vince’s journey. The music sequences are very good too and this is thanks to the musical talents of the two leads who have both had musical careers outside of acting.
I’m happy to report that I Used To Be Famous does not offend in its handling of autism. Leo Long, who makes his acting debut in the movie, is actually on the autistic spectrum himself. Casting him was the right choice as he brings a level of authenticity to the performance, without a reliance on the overly dramatic tics and twitches that neurotypical actors Dustin Hoffman and Maddie Ziegler demonstrated when they took on the roles of autistic characters in Rain Man and Music respectively. The latter movie was particularly offensive with its inaccurate portrayal of autistic behaviours and was rightly slammed for its outdated ideas about the disability.
The director has chosen several other neurodivergent actors to fill the roles of Stevie’s musical therapy group. It’s great to see a director making such wise casting choices, not only sidestepping accusations of non-authentic casting, but giving an actor such as Long the opportunity to show that people with autism shouldn’t be overlooked because of their disability. ..
The young actor impressively delivered a strong performance in his debut role and it’s hoped that he will have a long and successful career in either acting or music (or both). ..
The movie could have been much stronger if the screenplay had been more convincing. The scenes where Vince is asked to take over as teacher at the music therapy group and when he makes a breakthrough with one of the students don’t quite ring true, and the fact that the teacher is quick to hand over the reins to Vince, who is new to the group, also seems a little implausible.
The friendship between Vince and Stevie is one of the most important aspects of this story. They are both likable characters and their interactions are believable. While some plot points surrounding them stretch credibility, we can still believe in their friendship because they both come across as real people.
I used to be famous. I was a star. But then something happened that changed everything. I stopped being loved and appreciated. My career crashed and burned, my friends left me, and my life became a mess. But through it all, I still managed to find happiness. In fact, it was through my pain that I found the strength to continue on and become the person I am today.
I used to be famous. I was once a household name, but now I’m just another anonymous person in the crowd. The reason for my fall from grace is simple: I made a mistake. I did something that got me into trouble, and now people are afraid to associate with me. It’s hard to explain, but it feels like everyone is against me. No one will talk to me or let me near them. It’s as if they’re all afraid of what I might do next. I don’t know what to do anymore. I feel like a shadow of my former self, and it’s all because of that one mistake. ..
