Judd Ehrlich spent nearly a decade as a caretaker for Mark Puddington, a New York City teenager with multiple disabilities (including profound mental retardation), before making this short film about the young man--then 17--at a critical juncture in his life: preparing for his bar mitzvah, but surrounded by unanswered questions about his future. Mark's devoted mother is as much a part of the story as the subject himself, and listening to her fret about her son's prospects when she's no longer around ("Who else will love him that much?") is heart-rending. Ehrlich also captures some wonderfully telling moments in Mark's daily life: playing on park equipment (while young kids look on in confusion), exchanging affections with neighbors, and hanging out with a brother who (according to mom) was shortchanged on attention while growing up. An interesting portrait of family dynamics in the face of disability, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
Mayor of the West Side
(2002) 38 min. VHS: $199. Fanlight Productions. PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 1-57295-395-0. Volume 20, Issue 2
Mayor of the West Side
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