Lee Chang Dong's Oasis softly caresses the audience's heart with the smooth touch of two Seoul's lost souls, desiring for an unknown sense of humanity which they never seem to have found, until now. This is a movie of all and nothing, about prejudice, judgement, guilt, paradoxically filled with a void that shapes the characters of the movie. Hong Jong Du is a former detainee who spent a conviction for murder while driving drunk, to ultimately protect his brother who actually committed the crime, and his family . When he comes back to greet the victim's family after his release, he meets Gong-Ju, the victim's daughter, who is also paralytic. The two of them will initiate a relationship which will eventually result in a series of adverse joints of destiny which will drive them apart. The striking sensitivity and delicateness of the theme is mixed with an intimate sense of deep understanding of two souls who saw neglected the best from their life. They seem to find in each other a reason to grasp the meaning of a lifeless existence, which importance we may seem to forget on a daily basis. The surrounding prejudice and judgement towards whom the society seems to hipocritically ignore may splendidly turn into one the most impactful, impressively touching story of redemption, love and incomprehension that you will see on screen.

Beautiful and haunting film.

Absolutely not. This man rapes this disabled woman in her home, and the story proceeds with them falling in love afterwards. I could not and refuse to continue watching after that. Heinous, unnecessary, and traumatizing. I get they're trying to show this love story of two marginalized people (I don't believe the male lead to be marginalized whatsoever, as a convicted rapist and murderer), but honestly, a rape as a plot point for romance, much less any kind of narrative, is absolutely vile.

This is daring stuff. Deeply touching. I was utterly stunned.

(Wrong description up above) Oasis is unrelenting, unapologetic, and uncomfortable. It tells the off kilter romance between a socially shy ex-con and a woman with cerebral palsy. This sounds like a romance that cannot exist, but it does. It well directed and written with a steady heart, so the movie is endearing and never schmaltzy. It ends exactly how you'd imagine, with society and the families not being able to understand. Some enjoy the optimistic ending, but I did not see any dialogue between the families to show how they misconstrued everything. Oasis is an eye opening critique on how society views ex-cons and the physically disabled, wrapped around a sweet Romeo and Juliet like romance, and its solid.

This is an incredible film. A thoroughly unlikeable, social misfit falls into a relationship with a girl suffering from extreme cerebral palsy. The film takes it's time building just how unsympathetic the main character is, including starting the relationship with what one could only call a sexual assault, before taking you many places you do not expect to go. It manages to blend stark realism with some amazing and touching fantasy sequences. In the end, it's a testament to the power of feeling accepted by at least one person. Startling and brave.

Can a movie be patient, subtle and graceful, while ALSO being a roller coaster of emotions? Yep. This is proof. Oasis, the story of a troubled young man and his budding relationship with a young girl with cerebral palsy, eventually goes where you want it to, but not before dragging you through the muck. With elements of The Fall and Benny & Joon, Oasis is melancholic, stylish, and unnervingly romantic world cinema.

Maybe the strangest love story I've ever seen, between a mentally challenged man and a severely disabled woman. For the first half of the movie, I had no idea if the actress was really disabled or not. This is Korean cinema at its most, uh, unique.

As the film moves from being surreal to being...unreal, my enthusiasm, I gotta admit, flagged a little bit during the second half of the film. Like Secret Sunshine and Poetry, there is a strong sense of comic that balances out rather heavy, tragic premises. So the last sequence was supposed to be terribly, dramatically tragic because the two lead characters were screaming but cannot reach each other. Yet, I could not keep myself from laughing when she resorted to cheesy, dancey K-Pop songs to express herself, while he was sitting on a tree, cutting the branches like a naughty child. Then, maybe, the reason why I prefer Poetry was because its ending was decidedly sad.

what did i just see?

love is everywhere with everyway for everyone ! hard but very emotional movie.

The maturity of Lee Chang-dong is impressive as a novice director. The film is great. The actors are amazing, specially Moon So-ri. Though the end is a little bit disturbing as it is quite immoral and puts a good question about severe disability rights and understanding into the mix. Very powerful. Not a must see but at the top of Lee Chang-dong films along side Peppermint Candy and Poetry.

The most beautiful of things will always have its flaws... and this is one such piece of work... BEAUTIFULLY UNFORGETTABLE !!!

Two strangely flawed but charming characters come together to form one of the most heartfelt romances on screen. If a girl is willing to endure this whole film with you, marry her.

Oasis bercerita tentang dua insan yang melengkapi satu sama lain dibalik ketidaksempurnaan mereka, cacat fisik dan mental. Seorang laki-laki yang umurnya boleh dibilang sudah dewasa tapi bersikap seperti anak kecil, bahkan mungkin bisa dibilang agak idiot, akhirnya menemukan seseorang yang dianggap melengkapi hidupnya. Dia menemukan seorang perempuan yang ternyata cacat fisik yang tidak bisa menggunakan anggota gerak tubuhnya dengan sempurna, dan bicara yang yang hanya orang-orang tertentu saja yang dapat memahaminya. Sang sutradara berusaha menggambarkan sesuatu dari sudut pandang orang cacat yang diwakili dua orang ini. "Bagaimana mereka melihat sesuatu terhadap tingkah orang normal? dan bagaimana pula mereka mengimajinasikannya lewat pikiran mereka untuk bertingkah yang sama seperti orang normal?" Chang dong Lee juga memperlihatkan bahwa sebenarnya apa yang dilihat orang-orang normal terhadap mereka yang cacat belum tentu benar. Pada Intinya masih banyak orang-orang yang merasa paling benar dan tahu untuk mereka yang cacat, namun sebenarnya mereka tidak tahu sama sekali. Bagus sekali filmnya.

A grating love story easier to appreciate than to actually like.

I'm starting to think that Lee Chang Dong might be South Korea's best kept secret. Oasis is another stunning film from one of South Korea's premiere directors. Recently released from prison, Jong-Du squeezes his way back into the care of his family who in turn attempt to weave him into the fabric of society. Yet, no matter how carefully you attempt to braid two dissimilar fabrics, let's just say burlap with calico, it just simply doesn't piece together well. Regardless of intention, Jong-Du's family cannot help but judge him in relation to the rest of society. His inability to wait for others to finish their sentences before joining the conversation, among other matters, is a constant source of concern for his brother. Try as they might to force awareness into Jong-Du's mind, some adhesive that helps to bind him mentally to the world at large, Jong-Du still marches to the beat of his own drum. So when he meets the acquaintance of Gong-Ju, a woman suffering from cerebral palsy & the neglect of her own selfish family, they have no problem carving out their very own space. Creating an oasis in a climate that can so easily run you dry. Although they suffer a rocky start, the two find in each other a comfort. A way out of the limitations that confine them; whether they be imposed by one's own body or by others. Many Americans will most likely draw parallels to "The Other Sister", a film that touches on similar themes, but does so in a way that uses the societal impropriety of the mentally handicapped as fodder for comedy. Formerly serving as South Korea's minister of culture & tourism, Dong knows all too well that no two spheres can coexist peacefully. Two salmon fighting against the current will not only agitate those who feel like they know the right direction in which to paddle, but the sheer strength of the rushing water will forcibly correct the wayward swimmers. Dong also shows that although these characters may not be fully aware of the consequences of their actions, they are not free from responsibility. They are broken people who make questionable decisions as well, just in different ways. A decision that gives these characters more dimensions than most filmmakers could handle while still having the audience care about their plight. The success of this film hinges on lot on the performances. Moon So-ri's turn as the young woman is particularly stirring. It isn't a particularly flattering or a scene stealing performance (see Sean Penn in I Am Sam), it is precisely what it needs to be; a woman emotionally and physically crippled, unable to break out of the restraints of her disorder. Yet it is handled with such restraint that one cannot help but be left in awe. From film to film, Lee Chang Dong has shown that he is truly capable of nuanced human dramas regarding complicated issues. I stated before that he might be South Korea's best kept secret. But if he keeps up this streak of stellar work, he won't be able to remain a secret for much longer.

This is what cinema (and acting) is about.

(Spoilers ahead!) A young misfit man is released from prison and goes to apologize the children of the man killed in a hit-and-run accident he was accused of. They throw him out but he gets a glimpse of the severely disabled daughter who spends her days drooling on the floor and bound to her wheelchair, yet he falls in love. Unable to control himself he almost rapes her but they still develop a heart warming relationship. Life is everything but easy for them who are also abandoned but exploited by their families, yet they are able to create their own little oasis of happiness in the midst of all the hardships. But being misunderstood and unable to properly tell the truth to their families and police, things don't end up so well.. Stunning performances by the actors and the director create a hauntingly painful yet beautiful story about tolerance and nearly impossible romance. Not an easily digested movie.

Err... I think there is a mistake here. Someone put the wrong description, cast and trailer, but the poster is right. The Oasis (2002), starring Kyung-gu Sol, So-ri Moon, is about "Jong-du, a young man just out of prison for manslaughter, is a social misfit: fidgety, snuffling, laughing inappropriately, without a super ego. When released, he calls on the family of the victim; they send him away, but not before he has seen Gong-ju, a young woman disabled severely by cerebral palsy. Both are abused by their families, and both are used by them as well. Although their relationship begins with Jong-du's criminal behavior, a friendship develops. They talk of favorite things; he washes her hair; they go out; in late night phone calls, he helps her past her fears of the dark. Is there a place in the world for these two inarticulate people?" (IMDB) Anyway, what a film! It's a difficult subject, effective, and hard to watch. This society is very cruel toward individuals who cannot fit in, and we are all guilty of being shallow. Amazing film! We should all see it, but even I find it tough to watch.