Director: Chang-dong Lee
Writer: Chang-dong Lee
Release Date: 9 August 2002
IMDB Synopsis: An irresponsible and childish ex-con befriends a girl with cerebral palsy and develops a progressively stronger bond with her.
TSPDT #999
My progress: 2/1000
First Time
This time.
Format
DVD
What I Think
I've spent most of my adult life working alongside persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities. I've got a pretty good "bullshit detector" when it comes to cinematic representations of such persons. Oasis smells right for most of its runtime. It falters quite severely near the end. Despite the flaw at the end, Oasis stands as a success. Both actors are convincingly real. The writing is significantly real. It's also lovely the way that the camera explores the two real characters at the center. There are also a handful of moments of cinematic magic, including the introduction of one of the characters. I find aspects of Oasis frustrating, but I especially found the end a mixed success. By the end of the film, the lovely relationship that has emerged in surprising but believable ways is put through a cruel enforced suffering. Everything about it feels strained and forced. It continues to work as narrative, especially one symbolic act, but it's clearly the story following an imposed structure.
Additional Notes/Stats
- Ebert: "There are fantasy scenes when Gong-Ju seems miraculously restored, and can move with grace and speak with eloquence. I am not sure if these moments are poetic, or somehow cruel." This.
- Still, Moon So-ri deserves all of the awards for her performance.
- This is a good review (w/spoilers): http://alexsheremet.com/lee-chang-dongs-oasis-2002-undoing-narrative/
My Meaningless Star Rating
3.5 out of 5 stars.
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