Remake of the 2005 South Korean movie "Marathon", this special is about an autistic boy guided by his mother and his coach in training for a marathon.
Acting
Ninomiya's physicality—every twitch tells the story.
Direction
Yoshida resists cheap sentiment, mostly.
Score
Manipulative but effective—bring tissues.
Director
Ken Yoshida
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This Japanese remake sparked debate about representation—autistic actors were still rarely cast in lead roles in 2007 Japan.
Ninomiya reportedly shadowed autistic runners for months; the original Korean actor, Cho Seung-woo, won Best Actor at the Grand Bell Awards.
JP
