To be honest, I can’t think of a movie that Jet Li has been in where he was not dishing out some kick-butt kung fu. Well, looks like that’s about to change, because Mr. Li is taking on a markedly different role in the summer film entitled “Ocean Heaven.”

Here’s a quick synopsis of the story:

One person out of every thousand is born with autism. It follows that China has over one million autism patients. David (Wen Zhang) is one of them: he looks absent-minded, repeats other people’s words, swims with amazing ease, keeps everything at home in exact order and maybe he is not totally aware of his mothers death some years ago. Working in an aquarium, Sam Wong (Jet Li) takes tender care of this twenty-two-year-old son of his. With the generous help of the neighbors, the two live happily together. Yet, the father understands very well that in the end, he will have to depart from the world, leaving his son alone and that day will come sooner than everyone is ready to believe. This film is an ode to a father who is determined to find shelter for his son before it is too late. In the process, the boy achieves a measure of independence necessary for both to let go.

Despite having a budget of only seven-million yuan (roughly one million USD), Jet Li chose to participate in this movie because of the message that it sends. Having been named one of TIME magazine’s most influential people in the world, Jet Li hopes that people will watch this movie and begin to have a different understanding and appreciation for people that are afflicted with autism.

Check out the trailer for the movie below:

(TRANSLATION: “Son, let’s go.” “Let’s go.”)

This movie looks like it will no doubt be a tear jerker. My kind of movie. It’s set to hit on June 24th.

Source: aiyatheydidnt