My dear son, I almost forgot your birthday. Thank you for being born. You have been a true joy in my life. When you were 16, you told me you wanted to be a lawyer. With your face full of enthusiasm, you say, 'I want to do good'. I was so happy that I passed out. Not because you want to be a lawyer, but because I know I raised you well. After living this life, I have found that life is not always bright and sweet. The world is heartless and full of hypocrisy. We make mistakes and suffer a lot. But still, forget everything you've been through. There is no one who has never made a mistake. I just want you to love yourself. Because only then can you love someone else.
This is one of the most memorable films for me. Stunning acting from the players, full of moral messages, and increasing my literacy about autism and the world of law. Directed by Lee-han, starring senior actor Jung woo-sung and newcomer actress Kim Hyang-gi. This film tells about the life of a lawyer who often experiences dilemmas in himself and now has to deal with an unusual case. A poor but dedicated lawyer named Yang Soon-ho, works at a firm. When one day assigned to solve a case of death due to suffocation.
An old man in his 80s who suffered from insomnia and depression was found dead in his room with a plastic bag covering his head. At that time, the old man was found with his household assistant, a middle-aged woman named Oh Mi Ran who had worked in the house for a long time. Miran was named a defendant in the incident, because many of his fingerprints were found in plastic bags. Miran argued that he was panicking and only intended to help his employer who wanted to commit suicide. As the defendant's lawyer, Soon-ho tries to prove Miran's innocence. Soon-ho collects evidence and the only key witness who saw the incident was a 15-year-old girl with autism, named Ji-woo. Ji-woo's bedroom window is right across from the old man's room.
To be able to solve this case, Soon-ho tries to approach Ji-woo, meet him at school, at home, learn about autism so that the two can form a sweet friendship. This film, although it doesn't involve many roles, is very touching on our human side. Several moral messages are obtained from this film, such as;
1. Although different, don't underestimate other people, including people with autism,
Ji-woo is a smart kid. I was amazed by his ability to count, hear, solve puzzles. Ji-woo's experience is a little different with autism. Quoted from Alodokter, in autism, the sufferer experiences a decline in intelligence and mastery of language. Whereas in Asperger's Syndrome, as experienced by Jiwoo, the sufferer is intelligent and proficient in language, but seems awkward when communicating with those around him. Remember, in the scene where Jiwoo's mother told Soon-ho, when he was a year old when a child of that age could only say 'mama', 'papa', Ji-woo could already say his first sentence, 'mom, please change my diaper'.
2. Autism is not a mental disorder.
Asperger's syndrome, which belongs to the autism spectrum, is very different from mental disorders. People in general still feel 'weird' and avoid this group. In one part of the trial in this film, I feel sad when I imagine in the position of Ji-woo and his mother when the lawyer says Ji-woo has a mental disorder, even though we do not understand how to communicate with this autistic group.
3. Courage
Ji-woo who is still a teenager coupled with his condition, facing a court trial as the main witness is certainly not an ordinary and easy case. Whereas in normal teenagers, this is certainly difficult to deal with. Ji-woo, who was initially prejudiced in court, chooses to testify again to state the truth even though he has previously been under pressure and threats from the defendant. Amazing, right?
4. Don't bully anyone, especially people with autism
I feel sad, when Ji-woo's school friends, both male and female, harass him, make fun of him, especially when I see Shin-Hye's best friend also bullied him. Shin-hye, whom Ji-woo's mother also trusts as her best friend, looks cute and protects her but turns out to be treating her badly and using Ji-woo.
This film is worth watching and recommending. This is also commensurate with its success in winning several nominations and awards. Not only in South Korea, even this film was declared a success in 9 countries. At the Blue Dragon Film Awards in Hong Kong, this film won an award in the Best Actor category, played by Jung Woo-sung. So, immediately enjoy the film.
