Actors - Rain Man

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	Actors - Rain Man

Rain Man is an Academy Award-winning 1988 film which tells the story of an abrasive, selfish yuppie, Charlie Babbitt, who discovers that his father has left all of his estate to an autistic savant brother, Raymond, whom Charlie never knew he had. The movie stars Tom Cruise as Charlie Babbitt, Dustin Hoffman as his brother Raymond, and Valeria Golino as Charlie's girlfriend, Susanna.

Plot

The film begins in the 1980s with Charlie Babbit, who is in the middle of an expensive negotiation involving five luxury sports cars. The deal is being threatened by the EPA: if Charlie is unable to meet their requirements he will lose a huge amount of money.

Upon learning of his father's death, Charlie travels to Cincinnati, Ohio to settle the estate, where he learns an undisclosed person is inheriting three million dollars while he is to receive a Buick and a rose garden. Eventually Charlie learns the money is being directed to a mental institution, and he goes there with his girlfriend, Susanna, to discover why.

In a conversation before the trip, Charlie explains the significance of the car — a yellow 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible. In his teenage years he was forbidden to drive it, but took his friends on a joyride anyway. Instead of telling the police that his son had taken the vehicle, his father reported that it had been stolen. When pulled over by police and arrested, Charlie's friends were quickly collected by their fathers, but Charlie's left him in jail for two days, leading to a lifetime of estrangement between the two. He is also haunted by the memories of the 'Rain Man,' a supposedly imaginary friend who disappeared suddenly in his youth.

While his girlfriend waits in the Buick, Charlie meets with Dr. Bruner, the head of the institution, who refuses to tell him anything. Charlie returns to his car and discovers a strange man sitting behind the wheel, talking to Susanna about how he used to drive the car during his father's visits. Charlie then demands an explanation, and finds out that the man is his brother, Raymond. Upon further questioning Dr. Bruner, Charlie learns that Raymond is autistic. He is also upset that Raymond, who has inherited the three million dollar inheritance, does not understand the concept of money. The fact that Charlie's father kept Raymond's existence a secret infuriates him.

Numbed by learning that he has a brother and determined to get what he believes is his fair share of the Babbitt estate, Charlie takes Raymond on what becomes a cross-country trip to meet with his attorneys and get custody of him. Early on, Raymond's mannerisms frustrate Charlie very much, even leading him to conclude that his brother's "neurological disorder" is part of a scheme to keep him from getting the money to which he believes he is entitled.

Raymond unwittingly causes the break-up of Charlie and Susanna, after he walks in on them having sex (Raymond had been watching Wheel of Fortune in another room of their hotel suite, and when he "heard noises," became curious at what they were doing and went to investigate). Charlie becomes very angry with Raymond, although Susanna was more than willing to explain. Susanna becomes disgusted with Charlie's verbal abuse and leaves.

Later, Charlie decides he and Raymond will fly to California, but Raymond balks. Citing media reports of catastrophic airline crashes, he fears that he, too, will be a passenger on such a flight. An increasingly frustrated Charlie is determined to get Raymond on an airplane and, after considering several airlines, Raymond suggests a "safe" one (Qantas), which he states as having never had a plane crash. However, Qantas flies to California out of Melbourne, which means that Raymond and Charlie cannot take that airline without flying to Australia. Losing his patience, Charlie tries to forcefully bring Raymond to the terminal for another airline. But as they approach it, Raymond begins to panic, creating a scene that is only resolved when Charlie promises they won't fly after all.

Thus begins the long road trip. At first, it progresses smoothly along an Interstate highway, but that changes when they come upon the scene of a fatal crash. Charlie is unable to convince Raymond that not all roads are dangerous, and he is forced to use two-lane highways for the remainder of the trip. The two spend the next day at a roadside motel because Raymond will not go outside when it rains, as per policy at his institution.

During the trip, Raymond's routines bewilder the people he meets and often frustrate Charlie, whose mind is focused on money. Examples:

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