Keep the Change (2018 film)

David is a Manhattan resident and in his early thirties who is the only child of wealthy parents. Due to wealth, he never relied on public transportation and instead used cabs for his travels. David is autistic but is quite functional, and despite mostly inappropriate humor and panic attacks, he can be viewed as a normal person. So, on one of such days, he told a joke to a police officer about a pig, to which the officer took an offence. As a result, he was sent to court, where the judge ordered him to attend Connections, a support group that specializes in people with special needs and meets at a local Jewish Community Center.

While there, David meets a girl named Sarah, who have the same disability as he is, and the duo fall in love. At first David was reluctant about a date, since his previous relationships went sour. However, during one of the days at Connections, he was forced to attend a field trip to Brooklyn Bridge at which, by chance, he had to accompany Sarah.

Sarah, as it turns out, is more childish then David. She likes to sing little kid songs, but other then that, is very educated on how to use public transportation and sex. During their trip to Coney Island, David was the one that enjoyed the carousel while Sarah was interested in other things. David's parents upon meeting Sarah, disapproved of her, because her wealth is nothing compared to theirs. Still, despite disapproval, David continues romantic relationship with Sarah despite their differences.

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100 percent based on 30 critics, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The site's consensus reads "Keep the Change puts a refreshingly inclusive perspective on the rom-com formula, further elevated by a talented cast and compassionate work from writer-director Rachel Israel".[2] On Metacritic, Keep the Change holds a rank of 73 out of a 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[3]

John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter called the film "A modest but refreshing love story that takes its autistic protagonists on their own terms",[1] while Nick Schager of Variety called it "An ode to self-discovery and acceptance that's as funny as it is sweet".[4]

Derek Smith of Slant Magazine wrote "With a surprisingly compassionate eye, Keep the Change susses out the comic and tragic elements borne from the daily struggle of living with autism".[5]

Writing for The Washington Post, Mark Jenkins said "What distinguishes it are Israel's empathetic characterizations - she's known Polansky for 15 years - and the winning performances, not only by the leads but also by the supporting players".[6]

According to Kristen Yoonsoo Kim of The Village Voice "Romantic comedies are always looking to reinvent themselves, and Rachel Israel's debut feature, Keep the Change, arrives as a fresh iteration that still calls back to the genre's Nora Ephron-wave classics".[7]

The film was chosen as NYT Critic's Pick by Glenn Kenny who also called it "not a seamlessly crafted movie, but it's awfully tenderhearted and thoroughly disarming".[8]

• Keep the Change at IMDb