Film gives actors with disabilities a turn in the spotlight

“I was a stillbirth,” says A.J. Murray in a voiceover as we watch his mother struggle to pick up the now-grown man from his bed, as if he were still a child. Murray has cerebral palsy, which left him paralyzed from the neck down. But his voice is not paralyzed, and Murray is very good at describing what it’s like to live with a severe disability.

Murray is one of the central characters in Becoming Bulletproof, a documentary about making a Western flick with a cast of people with disabilities.

“You never really see anybody with a disability on TV,” Murray says.

Zach Gottsagen, a man with Down syndrome, plays the bad guy in the Western, called Bulletproof. Jeremy Vest, who has Williams syndrome, plays the hero. An organization called Zeno Mountain Farm pulls together these movies every year, often with recurring cast members such Vest, who has starred in a number of their films. Zeno invites the same people back year after year to build consistent relationships. One of the most entertaining parts of the film is when they show clips from past years’ movies.

Bulletproof has a professional director. Its goal is to be a good film, not merely a patronizing activity. The documentary is a wonderful portrait of the personalities and daily life of people with severe disabilities like Murray. The filming process is difficult. Some of the actors can’t remember a line immediately after crew members read it to them. But they can communicate the human condition in a way like no one else.

Throughout life, they act out experiences they will never have in reality. One of the actors carries a baby doll around with her, pretending to be a mom because she knows she can never be one. (A warning to families: There’s a scene where Murray describes the struggle of having a sex drive as a disabled person and as his mother is his sole caretaker.)

The parents of the actors are heroes here, too. Gottsagen, who played the bad guy with comedic flair, was born with Down Syndrome. His mom, Shelley Gottsagen, describes her son’s birth and how the hospital encouraged her to place him in an institution because he would be a “vegetable.”

“I told them, I’m a vegetarian and I’ll take my vegetable to go,” she says. “And I took him home.”

Shelley Gottsagen is a rarity. Mothers regularly abort babies with Down syndrome and other disabilities. The film doesn’t address that issue, but quietly shows the worth of these children.

The film tends toward being an advertisement for the organization, but it’s still a worthwhile story. The group isn’t religious, but the all-volunteer staff brings out the image of God in each of the people with whom it works.

Murray explains his sadness about the filming being over. During the filming, “Other people are relying on me, and I get to contribute,” he says. “At home, I don’t get to contribute. … I feel so worthless.” But he looks forward to next year’s film.

The film is not rated but does have some profanity. Becoming Bulletproof is playing in select theaters and is available for on-demand screenings.