The World Between Us (2019)

I typically stay away from the overused expression "woven-tapestry" when describing works of fiction, but this one, following the lives of the victims' and the perpetrator's families after a mass-shooting, is exactly that.
After watching "我們與惡的距離" (The World Between Us), I mostly feel impressed. Impressed because I'm familiar with the building blocks of fictional stories, and I think this is one of the best I've seen in years!
Right from the start, I was shocked (as in upset), then surprised, quickly angry/frustrated after that and eventually reached some form of acceptance, and from that point on, mostly cruised until the end with the occasional bout of wonder and surprise, but always, always impressed.

Most of the main characters (except for the young man suffering from schizophrenia) had flaws, qualities and circumstances that fueled their growth in a way that made sense. They sometimes surprised or frustrated me, but I loved each and everyone of them and really enjoyed the journey they each went through, even if it was painful at times.
Ironically, my favorite character is the one played by - arguably - one of the least talented actress/actor of the six I have in mind, but she was perfect for it.
I could write a lot more about this story, about how it portrayed human frailty so well, how it showed what makes us great and how small we can get. About how choosing to set many of the main characters in the world of the media was brilliant in this day and age. I could go over all that, but I don't want to bore you with things that are best left for you to discover...

I will leave you with a few more words on the casting, an example of character growth and a note on my favorite character.
The casting was excellent, and that includes supporting characters. Yes, most characters are attractive, but the type of beauty works for each.
Just to give you an idea of what I mean, physically swapping the husband working for the Herald and the lawyer wouldn't have worked as well, though the two actors have the needed dramatic range.
Similarly, the soft and slightly plump pampered young lady works, just like the thin, sophisticated, physically assertive female news director does.

About the pampered young woman, it was fascinating to see how her mother (so astute), her father (with his narrow view about providing) and her husband (with his moral compass) all helped her - through their very different opinions and actions - get where she needed to be. And this isn't the most impressive growth in the story...
Unlike other characters whose lives were tragically affected before the events depicted in the story, my favorite character's world comes crashing in front of us. Although a hardworking person, there was some naivete/simplicity about her, and that gradually gets crushed. She digs into herself to find a way out, while pulling others up with her. In that, she's also different.

The story wasn't perfect, but its flaws can easily be overlooked, which is why it will stay with me for a long time.
It is a pity though that because of the way media markets work, this one will not be as widely distributed as some other better known but less compelling Korean or Chinese alternatives...

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