Sunday, February 5, 2012

Un Oso Rojo, A Movie About Doing What Is Right For Your Child

Yesterday I finished watching a film by the name of Un Oso Rojo (A Red Bear) by Argentinian director Adrian Caetano. It's very good, compelling movie about a man (Oso or Bear) that has just gotten out of prison and he wants to reconnect with his daughter who does not remember him. The problem is he has a violent past and he doesn't exactly wish to leave that part of him behind. To compound those problems while he was in prison his wife divorced him and married another man. This other man has lost his job but still wants to place bets that he mostly loses. They are deeply in debt and are about to be evicted.

Oso comes to realize that although he dearly wants to be there for his daughter and take care of her his presence may actually hurt her. This is shown in a scene where she is riding a merry-go-round as two police officers harass him and he sees the worry and the questions in her eyes. There is also a story about a man Oso works with whose granddaughter and son were killed by the police because of his own criminal lifestyle. That knowledge torments the co-worker and his grandson and daughter-in-law want nothing to do with him.

In the end Oso has to make a decision about what is best for his daughter and not for him. Is it better to know her and be involved in her life or to stay away so that she isn't burdened by his past? He loves her very much and perhaps with her in his life he could make himself a better person. Then again he is who he is and after living this way for so long it's a part of him. It's very doubtful he could leave it behind even though he does not want to hurt or disappoint her in any way.

My son is the best thing in my life. Knowing that I helped to create hm, bring him into the world and am influencing who he becomes is the greatest thing I could ever accomplish. What would I do if somehow I was to undergo a dramatic change in who I am in a negative fashion? Would I be able to look objectively at what was best for him? Would I blindly hold onto my emotional feelings and selfishly cling to them even if it meant he could be placed in danger? Those are difficult questions for me to think about.

I know how I'd like to answer those questions but truthfully I am not that kind of person, I am not in that situation. If I am being honest with myself I will say that until I am put in an adverse situation like that I do not truly know how I will react. I only know how I think I would react. Having the connection that I do with my son it would be very difficult for me to stay away from him. At the same time I want the very best for him in life and do not want him to be placed in harms way. It's a dilemma that I hope I never have to face. I won't ruin the movie for you by telling how it ends. I'll let you see for yourself. Suffice to say that it is not an easy decision for Oso to make either.

Written and Published by Don Leach. May not be used without permission from the author.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Un Oso rojo, resulto siendo una pelicula bonita e interesante, pero vez cada pelicula mas rara!, como aquella en Japones, no se como hiciste para entenderla, pues yo estaba renegando que entendi muy poco al comienzo, pero luego de tus traducciones y algo de ingles que hablaron, se me hizo tambien interesante.