[3] While finishing his undergrad studies in film and journalism in Peru, Mayo helped produce a series of training videos for creating supported employment programs and met many men and women with autism and other developmental disabilities.

[4][5] Later, while writing the screenplay for The Story of Luke, Mayo returned to Centro Ann Sullivan del Perú on a research trip and shot the documentary Just Like Anyone.

[7][8] To prepare for the role of Luke, Lou Taylor Pucci spent time with young men with autism spectrum disorders in Sault Ste.

"[24] Daniel M. Gold of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Pucci (“Thumbsucker,” “The Music Never Stopped”) gives a thoughtful and nuanced performance but gets few favors from the script, which puts him front and center in almost every scene... the film serves as a modest reminder that the challenges of autism may sometimes be no more daunting or fearsome than those that face anyone in search of an independent life.

"[25] In a more mixed review, Chuck Wilson of The Village Voice called it "a charming little film in need of a bit more grit… Luke faces challenges, to be sure, both within himself and out in the world, but even the meanies at the office are only sitcom-mean.