‘Mang mẹ đi bỏ’ – khi điện ảnh chạm đến nỗi đau Alzheimer

Người đời thường nói “nước mắt chảy xuôi”, nhưng đôi khi, nước mắt cũng có thể chảy ngược. Bộ phim điện ảnh "Mang mẹ đi bỏ" không chỉ kể câu chuyện hư cấu về tình mẫu tử, mà còn gợi mở những nỗi niềm có thật ngoài đời – nỗi nhọc nhằn, kiên nhẫn và cả sự bất lực của những người con khi chăm sóc cha mẹ mắc Alzheimer.

Báo Long An•24/08/2025

With the mother's Alzheimer's disease at the center of the tragedy, the film deeply portrays the characters' emotions and evokes empathy in viewers (Image: Internet)

Without drama or fanfare, "Abandoning Mother" touches the hearts of viewers with its very real story. The character Hoan (Tuan Tran), a street barber, struggles to make a living while bearing the sole responsibility of caring for his mother Hanh (Hong Dao) – a woman who is gradually losing her memory due to Alzheimer's.

The illness turned her into an "older child": sometimes naive, sometimes forgetting her own child, and completely dependent on others for all her daily activities. For Hoan, those were long, arduous days of sacrifice, worry, and many moments of helplessness.

In a moment of desperation, Hoan decided to take her mother to South Korea, entrusting her to an older brother she had never met – an act that seemed like abandoning her mother. But this journey unearthed many layers of memories and invisible bonds within the family, leaving behind a quiet question: Have we truly understood and appreciated our parents?

In real life, Alzheimer's disease is just as cruel as it is depicted in the movies. Patients gradually lose their memories, their ability to care for themselves, and may even no longer recognize their own family members. Each day, they drift further and further away from everything that was once a part of their lives. And that burden falls on the shoulders of the family, especially the children – both a responsibility and a test of patience and love.

Many families face a similar situation to Hoan's: Should they continue to care for their parents or let go due to financial pressure, exhaustion, or simply a lack of patience? When parents' memories fade, will their children's love be deep enough to replace the lost memories?

In the film, there's a scene where the doctor advises Hoan to pay more attention to and take better care of her mother. Hoan, choked with emotion, asks, "Doctor, have you ever cared for someone with Alzheimer's before?" – a question that might seem helpless at first glance, but accurately reflects the feelings of many in this situation. Because caring for Alzheimer's patients is not just a duty, but a challenging journey where patience is often worn down day by day.

With her nuanced performance, Hong Dao portrays a mother who is both vulnerable and warm-hearted, while Tuan Tran shows maturity in the role of a son torn between responsibility and dreams. The film's ending may not be perfect for every viewer, but it clarifies the transformative journey in Hoan: from despair to finding happiness in that very sacrifice.

"Abandoning Mother" ends, but its impact lingers: a gentle yet profound reminder. The elderly, especially those suffering from Alzheimer's disease, need little more than love, listening, and patience. And sometimes, it is precisely when they forget us that we must remember them even more.

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