Grab a Kleenex

November 18, 2010 5:25 AM

“Water” is a film about a young boy’s struggle to accept his fears, his mentally disabled father and his possible future duty.

Toby yearns for a life like any other eight-year-old kid. But his mentally disabled father is a constant reminder that life for Toby, will never be normal.

posted by querty (4 comments total)

Thank you. Brilliant.
posted by 2N2222 at 8:21 AM on November 18, 2010

Don't take lack of commentary as lack of interest--this has affected me deeply.
posted by MrMoonPie at 10:15 AM on November 18, 2010

As the child of someone who became physically handicapped when I was very young I feel Toby's pain adequately, but even more so his frustration and that disquieting fear that, as you look into that parent's eyes you see yourself. You see your dignity stripped away, you see how people begin to hate you for your powerlessness, for giving them the burden to take care of you, even if they didn't mean to, even if they despise it themselves.
That Toby, in the end, accepted the responsibility of his father... I don't think I could have accepted the movie, had it been any other way. But I don't think that his battles are over either, and I don't know that they ever will be for him. However even if he continues to on some level hate and fear his father, he is his son and he will accept that duty because he realizes that he has no other choice, perhaps at times it will be out of love but many, many other times he will only because of that duty.
posted by lauratheexplorer at 12:47 PM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

[this is good]

thankyou
posted by es_de_bah at 1:48 PM on November 18, 2010