From Brammetje Baas to A Beautiful Mind: What Can Movies Teach Us About Twice-Exceptionality?

Years ago, our whole family went to the movie theater to watch Brammetje Baas, a Dutch movie. Our four children settled into their seats, excited for the film to begin.

Less than half an hour into the movie, our oldest son suddenly leaned over and whispered, "Mom, I don't actually like this movie."

I looked at him in surprise.

"Why not?"

"Because I can't stop watching D."

D. is our third son.

At that moment, I couldn't help but smile. Not because his comment was funny, but because it was so perceptive. To our oldest son, Brammetje was no longer just a movie character. He saw his own brother on the screen. The curiosity. The energy. The endless questions. The constant need to move. The struggles at school. It all felt so familiar.

And that is exactly the power of movies.

Movies help us understand how a child experiences the world. They give words and images to experiences that are sometimes difficult to explain. It's no coincidence that parents occasionally say after watching a movie, "That's exactly my child."

At the same time, however, there is also a risk.

No matter how relatable a movie may be, it never tells the whole story. Movies simplify. They exaggerate. They focus on a single storyline that resonates with the audience. As a result, they can also subtly shape our perceptions of gifted and twice-exceptional children.

A recent scientific review examined this very issue. The researchers analyzed eight well-known feature films about twice-exceptional individuals—people with exceptional cognitive potential alongside a disability or other condition (Atmaca et al., 2022). Three films feature a character with autism (Temple Grandin, My Name Is Khan, and X + Y). Two focus on mental health conditions (A Beautiful Mind and Proof). Three others portray the development of exceptional talent despite a physical disability: Rosso Come il Cielo (blindness), Copying Beethoven (deafness), and The Theory of Everything (ALS).

The researchers wanted to explore the picture these films paint of twice-exceptional children and adults.

Their findings are surprising.

How Are Twice-Exceptional Individuals Portrayed in Movies?

The researchers analyzed the films across six domains: personality, cognitive characteristics, social-emotional functioning, behavior, education, and family impact. A clear pattern emerged.

In terms of personality, the films almost always portray a combination of strengths and vulnerabilities. The characters are frequently depicted as highly motivated, curious, honest, and determined. Above all, they display remarkable intrinsic motivation, pursuing their interests despite significant setbacks. At the same time, they are often portrayed as introverted, emotionally distant, or arrogant. Of these negative personality traits, introversion appears most frequently.

The portrayal of cognitive functioning focuses primarily on strengths. Creativity, problem-solving ability, attention to detail, strong memory, and rapid learning are shown far more often than cognitive difficulties. When cognitive challenges are portrayed, they are usually associated with autism, such as difficulties with social understanding (Theory of Mind), attention, or central coherence. These characteristics are particularly evident in films such as Temple Grandin, My Name Is Khan, and X + Y.

The picture is very different when it comes to social-emotional functioning. Here, vulnerabilities take center stage. Loneliness, communication difficulties, challenges expressing emotions, insecurity, mood fluctuations, and social misunderstandings receive far more attention than positive social qualities. Likewise, behavioral portrayals focus almost exclusively on challenges, including rigid routines, repetitive behaviors, impulsivity, or highly restricted interests.

The way education is portrayed is particularly striking. On the one hand, the films show that twice-exceptional children often thrive when they are able to use their talents. On the other hand, they frequently struggle in schools that fail to recognize their potential. Social isolation, bullying, the masking of talent, and a lack of appropriate educational support appear repeatedly across the films. Yet many of these stories end on a hopeful note: once a parent, teacher, or mentor recognizes both the child's strengths and their support needs, the child is finally given the opportunity to flourish.

At the same time, it is important to view these films with a critical eye. They may be highly relatable, but they remain works of fiction in which certain characteristics are deliberately exaggerated to serve the story.

Not Every Twice-Exceptional Child Is a Movie Hero

Movies are designed to tell a compelling story. To make a character memorable and engaging, certain traits are often amplified while others receive far less attention. As a result, viewers may unconsciously come away with the impression that twice-exceptional individuals all fit a similar profile: exceptionally intelligent, socially awkward, emotionally vulnerable, or lonely. The systematic review indeed found that many films rely on similar personality traits and challenges, although the emphasis varies from one movie to another.

For that reason, the researchers caution against viewing these films as a complete or representative portrayal of twice-exceptionality. In many stories, the focus shifts primarily to either the disability or the exceptional talent, while the interaction between the two is far more complex. Moreover, certain characteristics are deliberately emphasized because they make for a more dramatic and engaging story—not because they are present in every twice-exceptional individual.

We see this same diversity in practice. At Hoogbloeier®, we meet children whose advanced cognitive abilities stand out from an early age, while any support needs only become apparent later. In other children, it is the additional diagnosis that attracts attention first, causing their cognitive potential to remain unnoticed for years. There are also children in whom both aspects mask one another: their cognitive strengths compensate for certain challenges, while those challenges simultaneously prevent their cognitive potential from being recognized. This is precisely why twice-exceptionality is so often identified only later in life.

Perhaps that is the most important takeaway from this review. There is no such thing as a standard profile of a twice-exceptional child. Every combination of cognitive strengths, support needs, personality, and environmental influences is unique. Movies can help us better understand certain lived experiences, but they should never replace a broad, individualized understanding of the child.

Does this mean that movies present an inaccurate picture of twice-exceptionality? Not necessarily. Quite the opposite.

What Movies Do Portray Surprisingly Well

Although the films differ greatly in their stories, the ages of the characters, and the types of disabilities portrayed, one element appears remarkably consistently. In nearly every film, the main character eventually encounters someone who looks beyond the disability alone. This may be a parent, teacher, mentor, or another significant person who recognizes both the individual's cognitive strengths and their support needs. The researchers identified these supportive relationships as a recurring pattern across the films they analyzed.

This is evident, for example, in Temple Grandin, where a dedicated teacher continues to nurture Temple's intellectual abilities despite the challenges associated with her autism. In X + Y, Nathan is given the opportunity to further develop his exceptional mathematical talent thanks to a mentor who both challenges and supports him. Similarly, in My Name Is Khan, people in the protagonist's immediate environment play a crucial role in creating opportunities, while The Theory of Everything illustrates how extraordinary scientific talent can continue to flourish when those around the individual focus on more than physical limitations alone.

What is particularly striking is that the films rarely suggest that exceptional cognitive potential is sufficient on its own for talent to develop. Nor do they portray the additional disability as an insurmountable obstacle. Instead, the stories repeatedly demonstrate how the interaction between personal characteristics and the environment shapes the opportunities people have to realize their potential. When strengths are recognized, expectations remain high, and appropriate support is available, individuals are given the opportunity to continue developing.

This message also aligns closely with what scientific research on talent development has shown for many years. Models such as Gagné's Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT) (2004) and Ziegler's Actiotope Model (2005) emphasize that exceptional potential does not develop automatically. Personal characteristics, motivation, environmental opportunities, and appropriate guidance continuously influence how talent unfolds over time. The films included in this review illustrate this interaction in an accessible way, even if they sometimes simplify reality for the sake of the story.

And What About Brammetje Baas?

As you were reading, you may have found yourself thinking back to the story at the beginning of this article. Our oldest son immediately recognized his brother in Bram. That is probably one of the reasons why Brammetje Baas resonates so strongly with many parents in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Interestingly, Brammetje Baas was not included in the systematic review by Atmaca and colleagues (2022). This is not surprising. The researchers included only feature films in which the main character is explicitly portrayed as gifted or exceptionally talented while also having an additional disability or disorder. Brammetje Baas does not meet those inclusion criteria. Nowhere in the film is Bram described as either gifted or twice-exceptional.

Even so, many parents of gifted or twice-exceptional children recognize something familiar in the way Bram experiences the world. He is curious, creative, and constantly asking questions. He overflows with ideas, has a strong need for movement, and approaches the world from his own unique perspective. At the same time, he frequently clashes with adults who respond primarily to his behavior without asking what might be driving it.

That is precisely where the strength of this film lies. Brammetje Baas does not claim to provide a complete or accurate portrayal of giftedness or twice-exceptionality. Instead, it invites us to look beyond the behavior we see on the surface. It reminds us that high activity levels, impulsivity, or an endless stream of questions are not simply challenges for those around the child. They may also reflect a child who thinks, learns, and experiences the world differently.

Perhaps that is the film's most important message. Not that Bram is gifted or twice-exceptional, but that every child is more than the behavior we observe. Only when we become genuinely curious about what lies beneath that behavior do we create the opportunity to recognize both a child's strengths and their support needs.

More Than Just a Movie Night

Perhaps the most important practical lesson from this review is not which movies you watch, but how you use them.

The researchers suggest that movies can be a valuable tool for starting conversations with children and adolescents about giftedness, twice-exceptionality, identity, and the challenges that may accompany them. Not because a movie presents a perfect reflection of reality, but because it can foster recognition and open the door to meaningful conversations. In the literature, this approach is often referred to as guided viewing or cinematherapy. Rather than simply watching a movie, you intentionally take time afterward to reflect on it together.

For some children, it is easier to talk about a movie character before talking about themselves. Questions such as, "Why do you think Bram reacted that way?", "What would you have done?", or "Do you recognize anything about yourself in this character?" often lead naturally to conversations about emotions, strengths, and challenges. According to the researchers, discussions like these can promote greater self-understanding, support identity development, and foster empathy—not only in the child, but also in siblings, classmates, parents, teachers, and other adults.

This does not mean that movies should be treated as a guidebook to giftedness or twice-exceptionality. Quite the opposite. No single film tells the whole story, and certain characteristics are deliberately exaggerated to make the narrative more compelling. That is precisely why it is valuable to talk afterward about what felt familiar, what may have been exaggerated, and what insights from the film might apply to real life.

Movies do not change a child. But they can help parents, siblings, teachers, and healthcare professionals see that child through a different lens. Sometimes greater understanding does not begin with a test, a diagnosis, or even a conversation. Sometimes it begins with a movie night and a simple question:

"What did you see in this child?"

Let's Build a Movie List Together

Has a movie ever helped you better understand giftedness or twice-exceptionality? Which film would you recommend to every parent, teacher, or healthcare professional?

We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email or share your recommendation with us on Facebook or Instagram. We'll collect your favorite suggestions and feature them in a future article.

Curious about our own recommendations? Explore the trailers in our YouTube movie playlist.

YouTube Movie Playlist

References

• Atmaca, F., Arseven, Z., & Yılmaz, A. (2022). The backstage of twice-exceptionality: A systematic review of the movies. Roeper Review, 44(4), 278–292. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783193.2022.2117589

• Gagné, F. (2004). Transforming gifts into talents: the DMGT as a developmental theory. High Ability Studies, 15(2), 119-147.

• Ziegler, A. (2005). The actiotope model of giftedness. In R. J. Sternberg & J. E. Davidson (Eds.), Conceptions of giftedness (2nd ed., pp. 411–436). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511610455.024
  
  

Copyright © 2026 Dr. Sabine Sypré – All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author. Sharing online is permitted provided the author is credited and a link to this article is included.