In a constantly changing world, we are forced to challenge our old beliefs. We are forced to adapt and change—change in our career, lifestyle, interests, or in some instances, a change of hearts. We, also ask ourselves, “Will this change be good for us? Will it affect the people around us? Will this change be accepted by society?”
In the Japanese movie Athlete— which is a story of two lost souls who, in the midst of solitude, find peace and comfort in a relationship that most people would consider forbidden— change is described as good, though sometimes makes people feel alienated and misunderstood.
Athlete is not a tale about infidelity or the “right love at the wrong time” story—it is much more complex and complicated.
A former swimming athlete, Kohei is living a normal life with his wife and daughter. Suddenly, his world is turned upside down when his wife asks for a divorce. Hopeless and broken, he meets Yutaka, a handsome young man who has big dreams in spite of doing odd jobs.
A deep friendship blossoms between them and, eventually, no matter how much they fight it, Kohei and Yutaka develop romantic feelings towards each other. As their love and affection grow, so do their struggles in making their relationship work for they both fear that their respective families will be horrified and scandalized by their unconventional setup.
The freedom to choose and the courage to accept yourself is a gift. And the movie Athlete bravely shows us how to unwrap that gift. It is a movie that honestly reveals what most people would find difficult or terrifying.
From VIVA International Pictures and MVP Entertainment, Athlete starring Joe Nakamura and actor and singer Kondo Yohdi, unspools in cinemas Sept. 25, exclusively in Robinsons Movieworld.
