Tyler Sansom’s Learning You is a Christmas-set drama about a man trying to keep his life from collapsing while the most important relationship he has is slipping out of reach.
Ty Smith (John Wells) is a highly sought-after architect on the verge of burning out. His marriage recently fell apart when his wife left him and took his autistic son, Elijah (Caleb Milby), away, insisting that he become a ward of the state. As a result, his work has suffered, and Ty is about to be fired unless he delivers a project for an important client, Reggie Sinclair (Daniel Roebuck).
One night, something snaps in Ty’s brain. It was probably the dream of talking to his son’s teddy bear. Ty makes a drastic decision: he pulls Elijah out of his residential facility to take him on a Christmas road trip to the ocean, as Ty had once promised Elijah, and tries to reconnect with him while there is still time.
Along the way, Ty’s ability to handle Elijah is touch-and-go, and at times he wonders if this was the right decision. It doesn’t help that Elijah has been posting videos of their journey on social media and sending clips to his boss, who now regrets giving Ty a second chance.
Meanwhile, Reggie Sinclair is pulling his hair out because the architect he believed in is nowhere close to finishing his new building. Just before he’s about to make a rash decision to fire Ty, his wife, Nancy (Stacy Haiduk), tells him to pray about it.
“Ty makes a drastic decision: he pulls Elijah out of his residential facility to take him on a Christmas road trip to the ocean…”
Tyler Sansom’s Learning You places us right in the footsteps of a parent with an autistic child, and as a faith-based film, its goal is to give you hope…or more importantly, never give up on your child. Ty certainly goes through his ups and downs…feels like more downs than ups. As Ty, John Wells gives an incredible performance. You feel every mile this man has traveled, which means you feel that moment when everything clicks with Elijah as he guides his son through the final hurdle at the end of this chapter in their lives.
I also appreciate the faith elements in the story. There’s no miraculous cure, but the real miracle comes in that chance meeting on the beach between Ty and Reggie, which changes both their worlds and puts them on a new path, professionally and personally.
With the increasing rate of autism around the world, Learning You lets you know that you’re not alone and that every person is different, but not forgotten or unseen. Best of all, there is hope.
For more information, visit the Learning You official website.
"…Best of all, there is hope."
