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IMDbPro

Up Syndrome

  • 2000
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
157
YOUR RATING
Up Syndrome (2000)
University of Texas student Duane Graves chronicles his charismatic childhood chum Rene Moreno, a San Antonio native with Down Syndrome, in this playful, stirring, remarkably unique portrait documentary.
Play trailer3:31
1 Video
4 Photos
HorrorWar

University of Texas student Duane Graves chronicles his charismatic childhood chum Rene Moreno, a San Antonio native with Down Syndrome, in this playful, stirring, remarkably unique portrait... Read allUniversity of Texas student Duane Graves chronicles his charismatic childhood chum Rene Moreno, a San Antonio native with Down Syndrome, in this playful, stirring, remarkably unique portrait documentary.University of Texas student Duane Graves chronicles his charismatic childhood chum Rene Moreno, a San Antonio native with Down Syndrome, in this playful, stirring, remarkably unique portrait documentary.

  • Director
    • Duane Graves
  • Writer
    • Duane Graves
  • Stars
    • Rene Moreno
    • Bo Rouck
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    157
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Duane Graves
    • Writer
      • Duane Graves
    • Stars
      • Rene Moreno
      • Bo Rouck
    • 3User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Trailer: Up Syndrome
    Trailer 3:31
    Watch Trailer: Up Syndrome

    Photos

    Rene Moreno
    Rene Moreno
    L-R: Childhood friends Rene Moreno (Up Syndrome) and director Duane Graves arrive at the world premiere of the 2011 remake of Richard Linklater's SLACKER, Paramount Theater Austin, August, 2011
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    Top cast

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    Rene Moreno
    • Self
    Bo Rouck
    • Hotdog Man
    • Director
      • Duane Graves
    • Writer
      • Duane Graves
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was selected to join the permanent archives of the United States Library of Congress in 2009.
    • Connections
      References The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

    User reviews3

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Up Syndrome is one of the best (and funniest) documentaries I've seen in a long time.
    Up Syndrome is one of the best (and funniest) documentaries I've seen in a long time. The subject fascinated me, and boy did it deliver. I want to applaud the hilarious and playful way director Duane Graves tackled this subject matter. So many people who haven't grown up with mentally handicapped people become very sober when you try to talk about it. The truth is some of the most funny, creative, and life-affirming people are mentally handicapped. Graves has captured that amazingly well.

    I think the cutting style on the project is brilliant. The speed, the audacity of it all. Very courageous. The overall construction of the piece did wonders in hitting home all of the inner themes. Everything, no matter how insignificant, had a payoff. Yet what I saw as a deliberate structure was camouflaged in a totally free-moving, stream of consciousness style. Graves' narrative storytelling skills are fantastic.

    One of his strongest techniques is to take a serious moment and undercut it with humor. For example, Rene is talking about gun safety and how you shouldn't shoot people. Then he's shooting violently into the air. I love that. On a bench he talks about the loss of his job. A very sad moment. Then he farts. That stuff is just like life. The end was quite moving for me. Rene again talks to the camera about the dangers of smoking. "You are alive." He says. The message echoes his moving speech about death, but also echoes the gun speech. Only this time he doesn't undercut himself. The message is clear. Appreciate life. Embrace what you've got. Be happy. Rene is!

    Up Syndrome moved me to tears. My sister, who was mentally handicapped, died in April of 1999. Up Syndrome was a reminder of the struggles she went through and the intense happiness she felt. I wish I'd given her the chance to drive. She always wanted to.

    S. Rice
    helpful•6
    0
    • freerads
    • Nov 14, 2000

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 14, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Review, trailer, photos
    • Filming locations
      • San Antonio, Texas, USA
    • Production company
      • Trisomy Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 22 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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