Please Stand By

Dakota Fanning explores a new acting frontier here as Wendy, a young woman with autism who overcomes social challenges on a road trip to deliver her Star Trek fan script to the show's creators. It's a slight but endearing story, held together by a thoughtful performance from Fanning. Through very small movements and gestures, we get to see how she views the world and the various triggers that make her journey so perilous. Her experiences are handled sensitively, but not at the expense of her mission, which at times is a bit far-fetched but remains involving nonetheless. Fanning is ably supported by Alice Eve, who steals more than a couple of scenes playing Wendy's overwhelmed sister, while the always excellent Toni Collette takes the role of Wendy's carer, Scottie. While the plot resolves itself rather neatly, a talented cast lifts Please Stand By beyond its formulaic script to offer a sweet and moving celebration of difference, perseverance and science fiction.