A very nice take on an autistic person life, dreams, difficulties. I watched with pleasure and every scene was so convincing. I simply cannot understand why this movie does not have higher scores. The Star Trek stuff was cleverly inserted into context and as a fan of science and space fiction that could not be better. Go watch it, if, as a Vulcan, you don't mind shedding some tears!

Being autistic myself I had a high expectation for this film. And they totally nailed it! Its an awesome performance, the idea is brilliant and I like they did not exaggerate her aspie traits. If I would have to complain of one thing, it would be about the scene about the session with the carer about forcing her to look into her eyes for some seconds, because its a type of therapy that is not so accepted by the autistic community and it seeemed a bit sad. I would also would have liked to see her stim a bit more (like humming, rocking, pressing a squishy toy, etc for self regulation) but that is ok, many people on the spectrum do not stim that is so noticeable. For all those who have never known any autistics or ever had communication issues, sensory processing issues and overload it will be a difficult story to contextualize, but it really is a big adventure! And in the end I personally loved it, it was fun and sweet and endearing.

I was very impressed with this film. The portrayals are fairly accurate and positive. I think that's important.

This film is about an autistic girl named Wendy, played by Dakota Fanning. Wendy is a humongous Star Trek fan who runs away from her caregiver and heads to Paramount Pictures to enter her script in a Star Trek writing contest.

The first thing that I must talk about is the fact that the main character is a female autistic girl. I am on the autism spectrum myself. Specifically, I have high-functioning Asperger's syndrome. It's a common misconception that autism occurs mainly in boys, yet this film has a female lead who's on the spectrum and I love that. Autism has such a wide spectrum and effects 1 in 100 people. There are a lot of us out there and, aside from this movie, I can only think of a few other fictional characters on the spectrum and that upsets me. It's rare to see autistic people represented, until recently and they are interesting people. The traits shown in this film are accurate. For example, there's a scene when Wendy sings to herself while covering her ears to block out the loud noises. I can relate to that since I do that too. It's good that the traits shown are correct.

Wendy is a character who you can't help but want to root for. I relate to her passion for writing, as I am also a writer. I wanted her to succeed so badly. Also, all of the Star Trek references actually have a purpose. At first, it just seems as if her love of Star Trek is just her special interest, as many autistic people develop special interests. But the movie actually uses the Star Trek references in a much more meaningful way. There's a scene where one of the characters explains to his mom that Spock has trouble with his emotions. He uses this as an example of why Wendy might be obsessed with the show. To be honest, I thought that metaphor was incredibly creative.

However, I'll be honest, the older sister, Audrey, really bothered me. I understand Wendy is lower functioning. They show early on how Wendy would freak out and start hitting herself when she was overwhelmed. But, the only reason that Wendy runs away is because her sister doesn't trust Wendy being away from her caregiver, therefore Audrey won't drive Wendy to the post office to drop off the script. I know caretakers will connect with Audrey as it can be difficult to care for people with challenges. I just hope people take away from this movie an understanding that people with challenges can still accomplish great things. Autistic people are extremely creative and deserve more credit and opportunities.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 11 to 18.

Reviewed by Calista B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth visit kidsfirst dot org.

Not sure which movie the two who slated this movie watched but I thought Dakota was as great. I've lived with an autistic person and it's so difficult to get it right because they are all different. This is a good feel movie and was directed perfectly.

Some people always keep whining about everything. Dont listen to them and give this movie a chance. At the end you will get that autism is not an obsticle to make people's dreams come true...

Similar to the Asperger's Syndrome film "Adam" of a decade earlier, "Please Stand By" tells of a 21-year-old autistic woman thrust into the sudden need to be self-sufficient, styled in the format of a traditional Road Movie. Quality casting and acting fail to overcome scripting issues that result in a timid, unfortunately bland result.

At the advance screening I attended, in the audience discussion following the showing a viewer disparaged the movie by comparing it to a Hallmark Channel TV movie. That was a bit harsh, but it did suffer from being well-meaning but low impact.

Dakota Fanning exquisitely plays the young girl living at a communal house run by ever-patient Earth Mother Toni Collette, with her regimented daily routine clearly set out, right down to which sweater she must wear each day of the week. Cutesy gimmick dominating the film in Michael Golamco's facile script has her obsessed with her 400-plus-page screenplay to be completed for a Paramount Pictures writing competition.

In order to meet an impending deadline she sets out by bus from Oakland to Los Angeles to hand in her script, and scripter Golamco, a graduate of the "Grimm" TV series, piles on the problems she encounters on the road. Notably she is robbed by a mean-spirited couple, replete with baby in tow, and even suffers a concussion from a crash after being befriended by wonderful Marla Gibbs, out shopping via Shuttle Bus from her retirement home.

The real issues underlying the care for an autistic relative are brought to light by the role of Dakota's older sister, very well-played by Alice Eve in a departure from her usual "too beautiful for words" casting. However, I was heavily distracted by the sister act in that even in home movies of the duo as young kids, all I could think of was Dakota and her real-life acting sister Elle, the logical if too obvious casting for such a picture, in which Elle would have gotten Dakota's role here.

Self-indulgence by Golamco is fatal to the overall effect of the picture, especially in many contrived scenes aiming too blatantly at warmth, typified by an otherwise amusing conversation in the Klingon language (!) between Fanning and an ultra-kindly and far, far from realistic cop who was chasing her. Ultimately the semi-happy, upbeat ending, a bit in the "Go the distance" cliche vein of Stallone's "Rocky" ties the bow on this ephemeral package.

It suffered from what I term the Indie Syndrome, as over the past four decades the notion of Indie Films has been raised on a pedestal and marketed to an audience as an alternative to commercial cinema. Certainly indies such as the first films of artists like John Sayles, Spike Lee, Kathryn Bigelow, Wayne Wang and the Coen Bros. made their mark, but the originality and even quirkiness of these fledgling efforts of 30-plus years back have given way to a mundane sameness in recent "indie" product. "Please Stand By" is typical: attracting top talent to play meaty roles for the love of their art (rather than big pay-days) in a resulting film that is minor and low-key almost on purpose. The pretentiousness of a "Big Picture" is thankfully lacking, but also is the demonstration of importance.

The movie seems good. It's a classic story where the main character is autistic and struggles through life. The character presentation has been done excellent. Cast fits the characters perfectly. Dakota Fanning does an excellent job portraying an autistic woman in a young age. A feel good movie to watch and enjoy in free time.

"Like Spock, for example. He's half-human, half-alien. He has trouble dealing with his emotions. Where did it say that? That's just how he is."

Although "Stand by me" is a fairly predictable film and unrestrainedly endeavors to strike a sensitive nerve, I'm all for such a type of film. The number of films about individuals with a disability, who try to survive in our society where perfection is the standard nowadays, and who succeed in making great achievements, is endless. "I am Sam", "Forrest Gump", "Rain Man", "The theory of everything", "Still Alice", "X + Y" and "Who's driving doug", to name but a few. These are all films where one feels sorry for the main character first. And after a while you realize that these persons surpass all expectations and amaze themselves about their own abilities. Just like Wendy (Dakota Fanning), who suffers from a severe form of autism so that communicating with her environment is a huge obstacle and her daily life is determined by a strict schedule. Handing in a self-written script for a "Star Trek" episode, however, ensures that this well-ordered and well-defined life is shaken up.

All due respect to Dakota Fanning. The way she played this complex character deserves all praise. She distanced herself from all the possibilities available to portray Wendy with all possible tics and ridiculous rituals. Also the phenomenon of autism was not unnecessarily enlarged by her. Apart from the compulsive writing down of all kinds of facts in her notebook and the pattern of colorful sweaters she's wearing on specific days, she seems to function reasonably normal. Not as Freddie Higmore who plays a similar character in "The Good Doctor" with a forced intonation making him sound like a voice computer with incorrectly installed software from Lernout & Hauspie. And yes, I know the spectrum of autism is fairly broad. But I appreciated the modesty with which Dakota Fanning played the person Wendy.

Also Toni "Miss you already" Collette played a not so bad part as Scottie who leads the home where Wendy lives. A patient and passionate person who guides each individual in this center and tries to point these individuals the right way towards a bearable personal life. It wasn't immediately clear to me whether Scottie was her real name or a kind of joke because of Wendy's passion for the television series "Star Trek". Frankly, I felt that all other characters fulfilled their job in an orderly manner. The fact they came across as plain add-ons is entirely due to the beautiful acting of Dakota Fanning of course. The entire film shows how Wendy's trust grows and she shifts her own boundaries (even if it's just crossing a specific street).

"Please stand by" is not primarily about how autists handle themselves and how confusing their view on life is. The subject isn't really thoroughly explored or explained in this area. I can't even remember the word autism being pronounced once. Only a brief remark by a devout, old female about her grandson who displays an identical behavior. It's actually a kind of adventurous quest with the ultimate goal of delivering the filmscript. And so Wendy needs to follow a path, completely normal for average people, where she meets a lot of people with bad intentions. And each time she's saved by caring persons. Almost something like Frodo and that damn ring he had to throw in Mount Doom. Also a risky quest full of obstacles and devious creatures. But then without the autism phenomenon.

Finally, a big applaus for the dog Pete who accompanies Wendy the whole way. They looked like Dorothy and Toto heading for the Wizard of Oz. Fortunately, the duo wasn't as annoying as Reese Witherspoon and her little pooch in a pink outfit in "Legally Blonde". And the most surprising moment was when a policeman talked to Wendy in a very remarkable way. But you have to discover that yourself when you watch this engaging and charming film.

P.S. If the script "The many and the few" really exists, I hope it'll become a real film. The fragments of text that were read, sounded intriguing!

More reviews here : movie-freak.be

For those who panned this movie either through ignorance of Autism and it's many faces or those who "used to live" with someone dealing with Autism, it is much different when you have a family member that deals with this struggle day in and day out. My granddaughter whom I will only identity by her nickname Yaya is a hazel eyed angel whose emotions can turn on a dime, much like Dakota Fanning portrayed as 20 something Wendy who goes through the trials and tribulations of submitting a script for a Star Trek movie. It was wonderfully directed with the characterizations of a high functioning Autistic person and those closely assimilated into her life, those expecting Oscar winning performances may be a bit disillusioned yet this movie is pretty much spot on, in the facing of adversity, the happiness an Autistic person experiences yet somehow gets their signals mixed up and can only relate it via calmness and acceptability of the given situation. Yaya is not quite at the level of Wendy and may never be, that is the fear of my daughter, her husband and myself. It is a movie of love, understanding and compassion and more importantly the depiction of a young person attempting to bravely navigate a foreign world such as crew members of the of the Star Fleet ship the Enterprise would themselves. It is a vehicle that spotlights Autism, the love and fears of those involved and the hope that our own crewmember will one day find her own way in this complex world of aliens.

Heartwarming enough to keep it interesting till the end, this movie is simple, dramatic enough, and just that. No overplaying the autistic card, not overreacting, no tragedies. A simple story, about an autistic girl who wants to make her dreams come true and live a normal life. And it's worth watching it.

So before I make my armchair movie critic contribution I have to say that the review given by one particular gentleman is absolutely pathetic. I am certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that English is his second language and going by his grammar, very poor at it too! Now the movie. I have been a Dakota Fanning fan since I saw her first in Man on Fire. A naturally talented actress whose talents just grew with her as she grew herself. I found nothing wrong with the movie, the acting, story-line, cinematography and the directing was perfectly fine. This is a movie that highlights the fact that autism is not a handicap and in fact a lot of people with autism have some sort of hidden talents. I highly recommend this movie.

This is a great film about creative and individual minds and about ambition and hope. If you are a star trek fan you'll also love this non sci/fi film.

I'm giving away no spoilers for Trekkies :-)

Very pleasantly surprised by this movie! A simple but beautifully delivered storyline with excellent performance by all. Dakota Fanning is especially brilliant as Wendy, an autistic young lady with a love for the Star Trek franchise and the crew of the USS Enterprise. Fannng is very believable in the role, finding the perfect balance between the characteristics of the condition whilst alwsys giving Wendy real depth to her personality and character. A delightful and moving performance which deserves recognition. In support, Toni Collette gives another solid performance, as Wendy's carer. I found the movie both intriguing and inspirational and at times, quite moving...from the opening scene through to the closing credits...I would highly recommend. PS; don't be put off by the Star Trek references...the movie is really great even if you're not a Trekkie!

REVIEW - PLEASE STAND BY

Very occasionally a film comes your way that you have never heard of but the synopsis sounds interesting so you think to yourself why not.

Confession time, I'm a big fan of science fiction including Star Trek so this film certainly got my attention.

Before you read any further and without giving away any spoilers this IS NOT a science fiction film but it is a lovely, funny story which is told in a way that makes you interested in Wendy.

One to watch if your a science fiction fans or not.

Lovely feel good film about understanding and no violence, swearing.

Recommended viewing.

Rating 10 out of 10

It's always a pleasure to come across a movie out of the blue that entertains, tugs on emotions and is enjoyable to the last.

Please Stand By tells the story of a young woman with autism, played by Dakota Fanning, who runs away from her caregiver in order to submit a screenplay she has written to a Star Trek contest.

Fanning plays the role of Wendy, who has some remarkable yet under-appreciated talents. Even as her erratic mission to deliver her Star Trek screenplay falls apart, she overcomes her fears. At one point she does this by following the wisdom of Spock - in the words that she wrote - where the only logical direction to go is "forward".

Toni Collette, in the role of caregiver Scottie, was the reason I took a chance on this new release. Collete has given a string of great performances over the years, including her breakthrough hit Muriel's Wedding, and she is masterful in this outing, as is Alice Eve, another newcomer to me, who plays Wendy's sister Audrey.

While the strong and clear plot revolves around Wendy's attempt to deliver her screenplay before the competition deadline, the theme of Please Stand By is very much one of relationships, empathy and family. The upsets are believable, and even in the seemingly most hopeless moments there is an underlying positivity, a flickering flame that refuses to go out. We never want to give up on Wendy.

All together, Please Stand By handles an interesting topic in a sensitive and uplifting way. Fanning is a star on the rise, and Collette and Eve are on point in their supporting roles. My emotions were tugged repeatedly by this film, which in moments reminded me of David Lynch's wonderful Straight Story.

The scripting is tight and believable; the cinematography and accompanying music are a delight. The soundtrack features the melodic Au Revoir Simone and also the relatively obscure group Lavender Diamond, whose play out tune Open Your Heart perfectly captures the mood.

At a time when Hollywood seems to be losing the plot with soulless blockbuster franchises, it is good to know that little films such as Please Stand By are also being made and seeing the light of day.

Aside from the terrible moment when Toni Collette tried to 'train' Wendy into eye-contact, ABA-style, I really enjoyed this film- contrary to expectation, I feel. I was sceptical about another non-autistic written/ acted movie, tbh. I'm autistic, but wasn't diagnosed until adulthood- nevertheless Wendy does remind me a lot of myself at a similar age- even down to the hair. Certain aspects didn't entirely work for me- but mainly 'Scotty' moments. I really enjoyed the rest of the cast. Dakota was very watchable and relatable throughout. I like the filming and the laid-back style of the film. I even liked the jumper-aesthetic. More autistic female representation needed though, please- and not necessarily young, pretty, or white.

If you're not a Star Trek fan, don't be put off, it's a minor sub plot. Great film which shows some of the struggles autistic people suffer everyday but with a lighthearted take. Worth the watch!

Please Stand By (2017) This is a comedy drama film about a young Asperger syndrome, autistic woman who runs away from her caregiver in an attempt to submit her manuscript to a Star Trek writing competition. It stars Dakota Fanning and received mixed reviews, while doing poorly at the box office. Some blame its lack of authenticity was cause for the poor reviews. It is not as much its lack of authenticity, but more likely its lack of risks that lead to the reviews. The film may just be a little too upbeat for the subject matter. Although, not a bad film, it just didn't have any real substance.

This is just my opinion. I am by no means an expert. This was great. The acting was spot on and the movie itself and the storyline was capturing. While I do not fully understand how it is to be autistic, I think it was well played out by Dakota. If you are looking for a good movie to watch and this sounds interesting, it is worth a shot. No big script, no huge budget. But it didn't matter at all and I never missed a thing in it.

We have both an autistic granddaughter and a chihuahua living with us, so this movie was a perfect evening's entertainment. Wonderful acting by so many of the characters. The story does a beautiful job of conveying how people on the autistic spectrum are often mistaken as fully functioning and capable individuals on first impression....and how many of them have intense focus and resourcefulness when it comes to dealing with the things that matter to them. And the script had so many brilliant little plot twists......My favorite perhaps was the policeman who happens to be fluent in Klingon. You'll just have to watch the movie if you want to know the rest. :-)

It's a beautiful little movie with a feel good ending.

I started this movie because of Dakota Fanning and I'm glad that I did! She has given her all once again and I wasn't disappoInted! This film won't win many awards (no violence or sex) but it will be time well spent with the family.

Really enjoyed this positive and heart warming little story well worth the time :)

I thought this was an excellent story. My only complaint is that it actually left me wanting more once I began to understand the epic journey and how it related to her writing and making sense of the world around her.

Dakota Fanning took on the extremely difficult job of portraying a character who herself has a hard time communicating and she pulled it off very well. I think she played a very convincing character and certainly had my sympathy for the girl on the story.

Dakota Fanning was great in The Alienist and she does a great performance in this as well, giving a believable performance as a young autistic woman. It's not an incredible movie but it's a nice story, making you feel good and the plot with Wendy writing a Star Trek script makes sense. The character are likeable and well written because of the writer and Dakota. With the help of that adorable dog I have to say it's a great road trip duo, in the movie anyway.

The music and editing is some of the movie highlights, the acting and accurate portrayal of Wendy by Dakota Fanning is the best. Actually some good cinematography as well.

It's preposterous but Dakota Fanning uses the preposterousness to her advantage. This is pleasant lite movie fare. Okay for preteens. But, me, a staunch "Goodfellas" and "Reservoir Dogs" fan shouldn't be watching "Please Stand By". But I did and I'm glad I did.