The ableism problem in Hollywood has been so deeply ingrained into the culture for such a long period of time that even today, underrepresentation of characters with a disability-along with the casting of able-bodied actors into disabled roles-remains an issue that concerns the film industry. Dominated by stereotypes of disability as either tragic or heroic, the screen has presented limited authentic narratives of the true experiences of disabled people. In reinforcing those very false misconceptions about disability that permeate society, it limits opportunities both in front of and behind the camera for disabled people.
Yet, a new wave of filmmakers works to change this status quo. Enter “Good Bad Things” , the drumbeat for a new era in representation regarding disabilities in Hollywood. Written by, acted by, and directed by people with a disability, “Good Bad Things” offers new eyes on what it is to live with disability. Moving away from tropes of overcoming or inspiration common in many disability narratives, it gives one a mosaic of nuances in the everyday lives of people with disabilities.
The film offers one of the most important breaks in authentic casting. In the movie “Good Bad Things”, actors play characters with disabilities, which is absolutely rare in Hollywood because able-bodied actors are mostly used to perform those kinds of roles. In this manner, it is the most profound message for both inclusion and representation, which allows the disabled to tell stories of themselves. That would mean something really strong about authenticity in as far as fighting ableism, because agency has been taken up by the disabled to define how they want to be portrayed.
More importantly, “Good Bad Things” tackles ableism directly: it presents arguments on accessibility, biased society, and everyday problems that one has to face with a disability. It does not get caught in the victim-hero trap for people with disabilities but deconstructs them in nuanced and multidimensional ways. Therein lies the strong call of the film to represent disabled people as they are, without stereotyping them.
Ableism is not going to leave Hollywood anytime soon, but “Good Bad Things” has been a much-needed step forward. It furthered authentic representation and fought against the embedded biases within; it gave a voice to a community that has grossly been ignored. This film could be a landmark moment for its genre in terms of the representation of disability within Hollywood-the key to breaking free from tired tropes and opening up storytelling to far more honesty and inclusivity.
