“We dream to give ourselves hope. To stop dreaming - well, that’s like saying you can never change your fate.”
― Amy Tan, The Hundred Secret Senses
Meet Cho-won, a 20-year old mentally handicapped man unable to fully relay his emotions or understand those of the people around him. A man who is incapable of communicating with others, often pitied or ridiculed, who only finds solace in either zebras or choco pies or running... a liberty that keeps him occupied and less different than other people.
Being a disorder that affects the family in so many ways, autism is a theme that is difficult to depict inside and out of the screen. Jeong Yun-Cheol's 2005 movie "Marathon" though was successfully able to bring to life a mother's anguish over having an autistic son, a brother who feels rather abandoned and neglected just because, and a father, who is absent all through out these struggles.
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| Image via Naver Movie. |
Based from the real life story of autistic athlete Bae Hyeong-jin, Marathon accounts the hardships Cho-won encounters as a special child, and how he successfully ran through these hurdles towards the realization of a dream he didn't actually mean to or want to fulfill. The film, as a whole, is a heart tugger in all aspects — it pulls your heart in ways unexpected it would be hard not to connect with Cho-won. Add to that the ever so realistic portrayal of Jo Seung Woo, it dishes out a successful box-office hit that captured the truth behind people with autism, their families, and how the world sees them as a whole.
It is rare to come across a movie as sentimentally inspiring as Marathon. Had it not been for Jo Seung Woo, I wouldn't have encountered such a gem that touches the most difficult and delicate issues of today — autism. His portrayal as Cho-won was as authentic as humanly possible. His gestures, facial expressions, even his voice! I was left totally astounded after watching him, all the while contemplating how absolutely talented he was for someone quite young at that time. No wonder he brought home that best actor award.
Overall, Marathon is a solidly executed film that captures the poignancy of human emotions and the immense strength of the human spirit. Definitely a recommended watch.
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