MARATHON (Japan Version) DVD Region 2

Also known as Running Boy, this poignant human drama tells the story of the relationship between a young autistic man named Cho Won (Cho Seung Woo) and his doting mother, Kyong Sook (Kim Mi Sook). Although Cho Won may be twenty years old, he has little more than a childlike understanding of the world. Believing that he enjoys running, Kyong Sook enters Cho Won into a variety of races, and soon decides that her son should compete in a marathon, hoping he'll achieve something every amateur runner dreams of: completing the race in less than three hours. But are these high ambitions for her son's benefit or her own? Does Cho Won truly enjoy running or has he been "trained" to agree with his mother's demands?

The film rests on the capable shoulders of Cho Seung Woo, who quite convincingly portrays the autistic Cho Won. Apparently, he met with Bae Hyung Jin, the real life inspiration for the movie, observing his every gesture to make sure his depiction was as authentic as humanly possible. In his portrayal, Cho Seung Woo's voice, his actions, and his behaviors in depicting an autistic person all ring true. Cho Seung Woo never seems to be "acting" as Cho Won, and instead is an instantly believable character.

While the film tackles the social realities of being mentally challenged in South Korean society, it's not entirely done from Cho Won's perspective. Instead of focusing solely on the child, the film also explores the effects autism can have on a family, particularly in the way a mother's "favoritism" for her special child can have disastrous consequences for the family unit. Early on, there's a sense that Kyong Sook has driven off her husband, and her neglect of her other son has caused a sizeable rift between them. Furthermore, a comment Kyong Sook makes about hoping she dies the day after Cho Won, which is meant to convey how much he needs her, takes on added significance as the narrative progresses. Exactly who needs who?

Although punctuated with humor and poignancy, the first three quarters of the film feel more like they exist solely to lay the foundation for the finale. That's not necessarily a criticism, but more an explanation of how the film works. It's as if we are asked to spend time with these characters and get to know them, while under our noses, the director is setting up some very interesting groundwork. And while the general idea of what will happen in that finale is perhaps wholly predictable, the way in which it is executed is so beautifully shot and staged, that it genuinely tugs on the heart strings. Rather than go overboard with tears and histrionics, the director instead utilizes small gestures or even a smile to affect his audience. Suddenly, certain sights, sounds, and actions make their return in a montage that, while technically hallucinatory, feels triumphant and even poetic, allowing Marathon to earn every one of its emotional beats. It may sound cheesy, but Marathon is the kind of film that will run away with your heart.

By Calvin McMillin - LoveHKFilm.com