Cheer Up, Mr. Lee

Chul-soo is a man with an intellectual disability living quietly on his own. One day he learns that a girl in hospital named Saet-byul is his daughter. Soon afterwards Saet-byul slips out of the hospital and sets off alone for a distant city to get to a friend's birthday. Chul-soo goes after her, and along the road the two of them come to know each other. Directed by Lee Kae-byeok, this Korean film is an emotional family story. Chul-soo's disability is used neither as a source of comedy nor as a device for pity; he stands as someone making his own decisions. The telling slides into excess sentiment at times, but Cha Seung-won's performance keeps the film balanced. It was made in Korea for a family audience and pitched at a wide public.