Oasis (2002)

Thought provoking. Confronting the arrogance of the ´normal´. Truly outstanding acting performance

"Oasis" was highly celebrated by international film critics in 2002. Director and screenwriter Lee Chang-dong, who had with "Peppermint Candy" in 1999 already contributed a milestone in Korean film art, came up with this unusual love story between a mentally retarded young man and a young woman with infantile cerebral palsy. In doing so, he once again relied on Sol Kyung-gu and Moon So-ri, who had proven themselves as a couple in "Peppermint Candy" and who now once again deliver truly outstanding acting performances in "Oasis". The list of international awards – i.e. in Venice, Vancouver, Bergen, Brisbane, Seattle and Seville - as well as in South Korea, is long. And rightly so.

“Oasis” is pure (independent) KMovie! It impressively embodies a great strength of South Korean movie production: ruthlessness! Even if social life is characterized by facades, coats, make-up and social reputations, modern South Korean cinema has (since the end of dictatorial censorship) proven what 'independence' really means. The freedom to finally show things the way they really are! Not being afraid of what is hurting, what is ugly, what is disgusting! The brutal revelation of the emotional abyss to which the human soul may be exposed over the course of a human life. Situations and moments in life that people tend/wish to quickly forget. The cruelties that people are capable of inflicting on each other. The look behind the facades and underneath the coats, where we are naked and without make-up, alone and vulnerable. But this is where we are sincere and real, too. From there, a new form of beauty and strength can grow. KMovies bring to light even the unloved, unpleasant, repressed, despised, perverted, uninhibited, disturbing human emotions with magnificent intensity, which are often presented so authentically that it hurts (because it's so true). The protagonists have no claim whatsoever to be likeable. This creative courage, when it comes to production and performance, as well as the audience´s willingness to open up to these cinematic works is (in my opinion) almost unique.
“Oasis” offers an impressive expression of this particular artistic attitude. This is a thought provoking KMovie confronting the arrogance of the ´normal´. The plot is about a young woman and a young man who – in the eyes of their social environment - preferably should be socially isolated and actually locked away, as they are supposedly unpresentable. Because of their disability, they are ultimately just a nuisance, causing work and trouble, irritating the 'normal' people with their unpredictable behavior, and actually not contributing anything... Because the families are ashamed of them.

The KMovie bluntly frames that social norms are in fact more important to 'us' than people. "Oasis" encourages to open up a bit and approach the lives of those 'waywards'. And lo and behold! They are sensitive, soulful people like 'us' - with feelings, dreams and longings. They are falling in love. They long for relationships. They are just people, too. Lovable people. Adults with their own lives.

'He' is a physically healthy man in his late 20s, but at the mental level of an 8 year old. He is strong, but easy to manipulate and rather simple-minded. 'She', on the other hand, is physically handicapped due to her severe infantile cerebral palsy to such an extent that she is dependent on help. Due to the impairment of her nervous system, which affects voluntary motor skills, speech disorders, spasms, as well as sensory and motor limitations are occurring, too. Intelligence isn't actually her problem, but that young woman in "Oasis" apparently wasn't given any specific assistance, just basic care. She has her difficulties communicating.

The way the families treat their ´waywards´ is horrendous. In fact, they are both unscrupulously exploited and abused. And both are helpless in their own ways. He doesn't fully grasp the situation. She is physically dependent on helping hands.

The romantic relationship between the two is quite something else. Their start can be considered downright dubious. And yet, as the odd couple they are, they both are happy together. The picture of the oasis on the wall jumps out of its frame and fills the room. In their togetherness, the couple has created an almost magic space where their souls can relate and recharge, where they can be a different person. It is touching, indeed. ´He´ is a responsible man and she is a desirable woman! Yet, this reality is completely alien to their social environment. The families don't have the slightest idea, that this could be even possible: those two ´handicapped losers´ being actually able to genuinely caring for each other and loving each other just the way they are. Not even their closest families honestly tried to truly reach out and attempt to understand their brother/sister.

Bringing the quality of this relationship against all odds authentically to the audience is the unique beauty and strength of “Oasis”. Although 'beauty' is not otherwise something, one would directly associate with this movie. There is hardly any beauty in the world of those two protagonists, where their environment isn´t taking them serious at all. They are either patronized or treated in a disrespectful and disdainful manner. Nevertheless, their feelings for each other radiate beauty and grace. Interaction may inevitably be rather awkward, but still they find their unique way. In the end, it all comes to an almost passionately brilliant finale when HE risks everything in order to by all means keep his promise to HER: sawing off the branches of the tree in front of her window, which only cast shadows on her beloved oasis picture on the wall...

The KMovie leaves us with our thoughts behind. Touched. And - substitutional for those two families, the police, the neighbors etc., who in their arrogance are blind to the inner world of those two lovers – ashamed, too.

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A truly difficult, insightful, and a moving masterpiece. Despite the low ratings on MDL (7.17), the film is slow with limited romance but it needs every ounce of your attention to be seen as a wondrous film. For those who find it hard to watch an actress transforms herself into a handicapped woman who suffers celebral palsy and how a discriminating society treats these outcasters, I do not recommend to watch this type of film.

This film inspires others on what true love exactly means and how their love for each other is shunned and looked down upon within society. Not everything in this film is simple and easy on the eyes to watch especially certain behaviors portrayed by the male actor and the suffering mental illness of the main female lead.

So-ri Moon's performance was outstanding. She truly shined that made others believe she actually has cerebral palsy. Kyung-gu Sol also transforms into a character who behaves and thinks like a 8-10 year old boy who is evidently in an almost-thirty year old body.

Why watch this film? To be honest, this film is not a typical Saturday night and needs to be seen in a mature yet understanding manner. If you have an interest in social and discriminating issues within society, this film is definitely for you.

What's my favourite scene? It is when So-ri Moon's character imagines herself as a normal human being in front of Kyung-gu Sol's character. It also portrays how their love truly exists and how they long for each other even when their families disagree with their relationship and attempts to destruct it completely.

Love is for everyone even for these odd couple.

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What makes this film absolutely fantastic but also terrifying at the same time is not how it portrays raw human emotions but the inability to escape the prison made of them.

We meet two characters who just CAN'T HELP IT. Jong Du suffers from a mild mental retardation while Gong Ju has a severe form of cerebral palsy, a terrible disorder that is incurable. Both of them are shunned by other people who are too afraid and disgusted to deal with them. However, they form a friendship and romance that helps them deal with loneliness. Dong Du is unable to fully comprehend the world around him (which sometimes results in him acting aggressively); while Gong Ju is exploited by her brother who uses her disability pension but leaves her all the time alone with only neighbors to look after her. Moon So Ri's acting is just brilliant, I've never seen anything like it.

There is one scene in the movie when we see how Gong Ju dreams about being normal and imagines having flirtatious interactions with Jong Du. Unfortunately, she is not able to move or even speak normally but still has a need to function properly like all other human beings. It is interesting to note, that all of all people, it is Jong Du who takes her on "adventure" and makes her experience just a bit of life that she has been depraved of.

This is a very difficult movie to watch and it isn't for everyone. There is no HEA for Jong Du and Gong Ju because there is no magical cure to help them be "normal".  But what this movie does is make you APPRECIATE YOUR LIFE MORE. It reminds you that there are people who got it worse than you, who can't eat/walk/talk properly and who depend on others' mercy to survive. So be kind to others who "can't help it" and live your life to the fullest.

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Oasis left me speechless. It rendered me stunned. In awe. In a paralysis of feelings that seem to drown me in unspeakable emotions. This film is powerful. It is brave. It is heartfelt. It is raw.

Lee Chang-dong portrays realism with harsh critique of society, at times, disturbing but also very provocative and tender. It is indeed a very challenging narrative to tell but Lee does it with great sensitivity. Lee doesn't romanticized his characters and their experiences but instead, normalizes them in a way that is both different and similar to us. He heavily comments on how society treats marginalized groups but doesn't explicitly tell us, that's wrong but we feel that. We cringe. We shudder. We feel disgusted. Angry. Like we want to do something.

His use of shadows, particularly of light is powerful. These are numerous shots of reflections of these characters -- in the car mirror in the opening shot, in Gong-ju's mirror. The repetitive symbolism of the Oasis, the shadows, the fear, the magic show that Jong-du and Gong-du desire for escape. They create their own fantasy world where they can be happy, fooling around and dancing -- just like anybody else. The shadows that Gong-ju fears and the magic that Jong-du does is particularly important in showing the comfort that the two find in each other.

Please don't disrupt my life, okay?
I could do that too!
I envy people with jobs!
She's watching! It doesn't matter!
I'm already pretty now.
You even call yourself a human?
You have to fit in to society, that's what being an adult means.

The people around these characters force them to become like them -- to fit into society according to their standards of how an adult should be, of now a normal person should be. And it shows how these standards affect the characters. And how when they are together, these standards don't matter. These standards are shit. Screw these standards.

Yes, Oasis is not an easy film to like. At times, it's comfortable. Particularly that scene at the climax of the film. But it's a very important scene that changes these characters -- one that breaks their fantasy world. And now that reflects us -- how we treat them. It is truly okay for them to take responsibility for what you have done just because he has nothing to lose, but you do?

But there is so much genuine and raw emotions here. Moon So-ri's performance is incredibly powerful, playing a character with cerebral palsy with such authenticity and care. A well-deserved Marcello Mastroianni Award for Emerging Actress indeed. Sol Kyung-gu's performance is heartfelt. Having worked on Peppermint Candy, the chemistry of the two is undeniable.

In the end, Lee tells a daring film; one that makes us rethink, provokes us and challenges us. This is a 2 hour of film of brilliance and power.

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Love blooms in real life

do you tired of watching unrealistic drama?
or you want something about love but totally real that you can feel from deep in your heart?
then watch Osias and you do not regret it.
we have two main characters in the movie, a man who follows this part of the poem:
We are wiser than not to be crazy*
and a girl with a kind of disability that her family takes advantage of her and then leaves her alone in a home.
this movie wakes up all of your feelings...sometimes it makes you angry, sometimes it touches your heart when you see their wonderful love, and sometimes you may just pause and wanting them can be like an Imaginary hero.
to shout out and prove the fact that they're human and they know what love is.
in my opinion, they're normal but a little bit different. They both like the persons that we can see in the streets... so we can't call them NOT normal. all of us can't live in just one way!
they wanted to have somebody on their side...somebody to love them and be for them not for taking advantage...
and they found each other :)
she asked about her favorite food, color and he goes with her to a family party...they trying for understanding and accepting each other exactly like that it has.
love can be real...not through a fairy tale or Fantasy drama it can blooms in real life beyond our failures and mistakes.
I like the way he's trying to show love to her...when he gives food to her, washing her hair, singing and chatting and finally at the end of the movie he's cut not branches but all the fear that bothers her.
so If you want to see LOVE watch it my friends :)
* it is a Persian poem from Mehdi Akhavan Sales.

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Oasis is a dark, dark movie. I was expecting some sweet romance between two handicapped people. Instead, I was left with a sad, desperate horror for the two people involved. Perhaps that means I should rate this a 10 because the movie achieved what it attempted.
There were some very touching moments between the two. There were beautiful scenes where Jong Du helped Gong Ju escape from her lonely existence. He was never ashamed of her in public or in front of his family.
But what horrified me was the brutal, savage way Jong Du had sex with Gong Ju. It seemed more like rape than a gentle sexual love. It was very graphic and violent. In addition, Gong Ju did not stand up for Jong Du. The disappointment in these 2 actions negated the good feeling about their love for each other.
If you like movies with a dark, gritty mood, you will like this. There is nothing uplifting about this that I enjoyed. Society continues to prejudices against the handicapped and this is not an easy one to watch.

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Everyone needs love…

Experiencing a whirlwind of emotions while watching this unique love story, I delved into the director's perspective through behind-the-scenes YT clips, revealing that the movie centers around an extraordinary love tale involving two individuals with differing abilities-ML being mentally slow, while FL grapples with restricted movements, struggling to express her emotions and thoughts conventionally, making it a challenge for others to comprehend her fully.

FL's exceptional performance showcases a level of authenticity that mirrors the experiences of disabled individuals. Drawing from my visits to the orphanage and disabled children homes and noticed how their expression are, hence seeing FL acting it out here was surprised it looks very much similar.

At various points, the movie storyline does evoked a sense of helplessness, offering a glimpse into the immense challenges main leads face in seeking love, whether from family or in finding a life partner. While some might perceive ML as an aggressive person or pervert due to an incident at the beginning, I see him as someone with a slower understanding of social norms, lacking proper guidance from his family. His actions could possibly stem from being disconnected with traditional societal standards. Although FL does seems to be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome as she takes a liking for ML despite he attempted to rape her…But then, it’s difficult to comprehend what’s FL thinking as she isn’t having the privilege to choose the partner of her choice, given the disability she’s having. Hence, the complex dynamics between the characters prompt us to put more thinking beyond the normal society acceptance level for disabled people.

The movie begins with a melancholy tone but in between there’s a message of perseverance of both party…(at least ML & FL didn’t commit suicide or given up living, unlike some movies) to stay alive and keeping their hopes high to meet up again one fine day. Watching this does make general public ponder the meaning of life and to be more appreciative to things and people around us…

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Power of Love

Beware: this is NOT a fairy tale with sugar coating and unrealistic happy ending. Please watch it nevertheless. Even if you prefer movies that are light, entertaining and mood-improving.
This movie shows a stark contrast between what's healthy, normal or socially acceptable and our characters, who are neither of these things. We soon learn that those "normal" people are not necessarily moral and their "socially acceptable" behaviours might be plain evil. Our characters, on the other hand, who are absolutely defenseless against society, bear all the brunt, become judged, misunderstood, discriminated against and isolated. Yet they never give up their struggle for love and self-determination. As a result, they might not be able to live happily everafter, but their love prevails nevertheless.

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