Danielle H
Very quirky. A very small film, seeing for the offbeat humor and Huppert鈥檚 intriguing performance.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
12/28/24
Full Review
Lesley L
Discovering the Charm of Hong Sang-soo in This Film
In his film, it鈥檚 often two or three people having quiet conversations. Such scenes are rare in today鈥檚 world, where social media dominates. I believe this is one of the charms of Hong Sang-soo's work. He uses simple equipment and straightforward filming techniques to capture the small, immersive moments of daily life and the sincere, delicate communication between people.
In his films, there鈥檚 rarely a sense of time rushing by. The time in the film flows like a rivulet, and sometimes it even feels slow or awkward. The dialogue in the film doesn鈥檛 seem to demand perfection, but rather preserves a sense of naturalness and truth. The characters blend with the actors themselves, making it hard to tell whether it鈥檚 the script or an inherent part of the actors鈥� personalities. The storyline is sometimes clear, sometimes veiled in mist, but it is always quiet and unhurried.
As he mentioned in an interview:鈥滻 don鈥檛 aim to create grand narratives or films filled with dramatic conflict. I hope my films are as natural as life itself, without the need to deliberately create drama. Because life, in itself, is full of ups and downs and changes.鈥�
He doesn鈥檛 aim to shoot perfect big-budget films; he simply captures life, filming the scenes and images he likes. As a result, his films often fluctuate along a level line named 鈥淗ong Sang-soo鈥�. Sometimes, his work is praised and even awarded; other times, the audience might not quite understand it. It鈥檚 much like everyday life鈥攕ometimes filled with sparkling moments, sometimes with sad ones, but most of the time, life rises and falls along the line of 鈥渟elf鈥�.
This film takes an hour to slowly depict Huppert鈥檚 day in Korea. In the morning, she talks with her student (the film captures the pauses in thought, awkward silences, and the clumsy dialogue), guiding the student to express her feelings, write them on index cards, and record them on a tape. Afterward, there鈥檚 casual conversation and farewells. At noon, she quietly eats lunch alone, then goes to the next house to teach French, chatting, playing the guitar, taking a walk in the park, and receiving her teaching fee for the day. In the evening, she returns to her friend鈥檚 house, gives the fee to her friend, and thanks him for taking her in.
In Hong Sang-soo's films, ordinary spaces and objects in daily life are no longer lifeless. Instead, they are given life and meaning through the delicate and sincere dialogues captured by his lens, becoming vivid and meaningful.
In the last half hour of the film , the boy talks with his mother, whom he hasn鈥檛 seen in a long time. During the conversation, the sense of flow created by Huppert gradually disappears in the space. The mother is very protective of her child, but this overprotectiveness, while seemingly caring, is superficial. It is a care that remains on the surface, failing to delve into the child鈥檚 inner world. The mother fails to see the child鈥檚 inner thoughts or feelings; she is blind to his true needs.
As the dialogue unfolds, the space becomes small, narrow, and suffocating. This because excessive protection stifles different thoughts, and leaves no room for the child鈥檚 own feelings or inner world to be acknowledged. If a person is treated this way from a young age, they may lose their vitality and become dull. Vitality and sensitivity, like tender sprouts, need careful nurturing to grow.
From another perspective, the size of space doesn鈥檛 imprison people; rather, it鈥檚 whether people confine themselves inwardly. If one restricts their sensitivity, they can only measure the world in square meters. But if sensitivity is allowed to stretch and vitality is allowed to grow freely, it will bring forth a magnificent, free, and vast inner landscape鈥攍ike a wide grassland, a starry sky, and an ocean.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
04/09/25
Full Review
Moody C
Requires a bit of patience but it鈥檚 one of those subtle, talky films that if you pay attention, you鈥檒l be rewarded. I actually prefer this over showy, over indulgent art films where you left wondering wat it was about because of all the exaggerated, embarrassing, face palming symbolism and metaphors.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
12/04/24
Full Review
Sujewa E
Minimalist comedy about a French woman in South Korea. Lots of awkward and funny moments. Filmed most likely on an old HD camcorder - not cinematic looking. But, should work for fans of early Jarmusch, Hal Hartley comedies. Deadpan, interesting.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
11/25/24
Full Review
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