A whole bunch of good intentions and a lively supporting cast of characters--plus Elisofon's winning turn--take this pretty far, but Polansky's character remains underdeveloped and off-putting, leaving a bitter taste. A warmer, more human comedy about the entire support group would've been terrific, but trying to bend this into a romantic comedy (or trying to bend a romantic comedy to fit these parameters) makes for a soufflé that just doesn't rise.

Beautiful romantic movie about a love story between special people. The added value is the glimpse into the world of young people who are no the autism scale or have other challenging behavior problem. Recommended for people who love romance and optimism.

Seeing this film Saturday afternoon at 3:00 PM: Ross Theater in Lincoln, NE. . . . and will hopefully be helping to facilitate a panel afterward. *Note: This film was arranged to be seen in Lincoln by Autism Family Network (AFN). Panel presentation being done by members of "Adults on the Spectrum"; an adult social-support group in Lincoln through the Autism Society of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Charming, if a little long, portrayal of a young autistic couple in love <3

KEEP THE CHANGE is the debut feature film by Rachel Israel about two people with autism who find romance in this warm and honest New York City romantic comedy. David (Brandon Polansky) meets Sarah (Samantha Elisofon) while attending a court ordered support group for autistic people. After several failed attempts to establish a connection with women online, he reluctantly decides to accompany Sarah for a group assignment at the Brooklyn bridge. Sarah approaches her autism with direct honesty, but often overlooks how other people respond to her open sexual candidness and lack of understanding jokes. David, often brushing his disability aside and seemingly meant for bigger things, ultimately accepts his love for Sarah and his own need for help that culminates in a final scene of him reaching out to the rejected and defeated Sarah, first by David's family and then a stage performance when she understands how she is different. While the film does follow the standard formula for a romance genre film, KEEP THE CHANGE wisely avoids stereotypes and clichés by featuring authentic non-actors whose honest portrayals is so convincing that it is easy to forget they are characters in a film. The authentic New York City locations help enhance the realistic premise that explores the universal theme of fitting into society as a functional person with a heartfelt and authentic approach, despite the low budget, occasional continuity flaw and shaky camera.

Beautiful. Heartwarming. Funny. The lead actress, Samantha Elisofon, puts together one of my favorite performances I've seen on screen in awhile. I truly enjoyed every second of it, and to think that so much of the cast and crew are first-timers makes it even more impressive!

A touching, sweet romantic comedy with a definite edge that takes chances other films in this genre probably could not get away with. The heartfelt romance between the developmentally challenged leads comes across as nothing but genuine while successfully maintaining a high degree of irreverence and unpredictability. This charming offering from director Rachel Israel definitely pushes its share of limits while pushing one's funny bone virtually nonstop from start to finish. A flat-out winner here.

A break through Indie Film which should get wide distribution but won't because in a world praising diversity there are groups that don't make people feel warm and fuzzy like the autism scale; and when you combine it with sexuality and an authentic crew acting out their lives in different ways, then there are too many people who rather see actors fabricate an approximation of reality and not the real thing. We are just not ready; or are we?