"Oasis" is the story of the relationship of a man imprisoned by his mind with a woman imprisoned by her body. That they establish a relationship comes as much because of their handicaps as in spite of them.

I knew before seeing the film that Moon So-ri was an able-bodied actress. As a result, at first I wasn't convinced she was playing someone with cerebral palsy. But Lee Chang-dong does a brilliant thing. He films several scenes that become the imaginings and fantasies of Gong-ju, Moon's character, as an able-bodied woman. This had the effect on me of seeing Gong-ju as disabled. And it spells out clearly that cerebral palsy is a physical condition not a mental one.

Sol Kyung-gu as Jong-du is perfect. I've been describing Jong-du as "simple-minded" to others but that doesn't pinpoint his mental condition. I might say he is carefree but it's not just an attitude; he is carefree to the point of mental illness. His condition makes him act both bad (he's been in prison three times) and good (he absolutely sees right through Gong-ju's handicap and truly comes to care for her). While Gong-ju is frustrated over her condition and how others use her it, Jong-du appears so utterly accepting of his fate that he doesn't even defend himself. I can't stop thinking about how Mr. Sol has played this interesting character.

Both Gong-ju's and Jong-du's families scorn and pity their conditions. But watch how they also come to exploit them as well.

I highly recommend this film.

Oasis is a dark film that is not suited for everyone. It requires an open-mind and some deep thinking as well. Aside from that, the characters and their actions requires sympathy and understanding.

Chong-du is a jittery, wiry man with an extremely short attention span whose level of energy sometimes borders on the psychotic. He returns home after serving a sentence for vehicular manslaughter, only to be treated with contempt by family members and ostracized by friends.

The film provides the viewer a realization that even physically disabled people have their own emotions to fulfill and satisfy just like normal people. The acting in the movie was great.

Unfortunately, it didn't deliver into a brilliant film like Oldboy for it lacked the requirements to become a masterpiece. But nevertheless, it is a must-see especially for people who want to understand what people with disabilities undergo through their daily lives and to realize their needs that could not be understood by normal people.

"Moon, who is saddled with a daunting task to mock up a cerebral palsy patient, pulls out all the stops to fine-tune her facial expressions (cock-eyed, buck-toothed, mugging perpetually and uttering inarticulately) and gnarled body conformation to exactitude, which requests hellacious application, repetition and consistence. To that effect, Moon is right on the button (although I'm no expert on that particular matter). Inwardly, her Gong-ju is every bit like a normal person, but no one cares to discover what is underneath her outward impediments, except Jong-du, and mentally speaking, she even has a drop on him. When Lee's surreal masterstrokes hits, Moon's sudden agility and eloquence becomes manna from heaven! It is escapist romanticism extraordinaire, even their illusory lover's spat is wrought with smiley faces."

read my full review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks.