Following the massive success of Korean smash The Host,
you’d be forgiven for thinking Bong Joon-Ho might sell out. The Host has gone
on to become one of the biggest films in Korean history and a sequel is on the
way, but for all his commercial success, Bong Joon-Ho has decided to go the
other way. Back in 2003, Bong Joon-Ho introduced himself to the world with an
assured detective drama called Memories Of Murder. It’s a stunning little movie
that showcases Bong’s immense talent behind the camera.
His latest is a reminder of those times. Not that The Host
was a CGI juggernaut, you understand, because Bong has always put character
development first. That said, Mother is a smaller picture, reminiscent of his
breakthrough entry. It plays out like a human tragedy for the most part, but
much like Memories Of Murder before it, Bong is smart enough to wrap dramatic
intent in crime thriller packaging, ensuring that commercial cinema fans come
along for the ride too.
Kym Hye-ja plays the put upon titular character, a single mother to 27-year-old
Do-joon (Won Bin). Though adult in years, Do-joon is very naïve and dependent
on his mother. He even shares a bed with her at night. Local residents pick on
him for being slow, and confrontations end in violence and bloodshed. It’s made
clear that Do-joon doesn’t appreciate being called a retard, and that might
come back to haunt him later. Do-joon is a constant source of anxiety for
everyone, not least his over protective mother.
He has one friend, though Jin Tae (Jin Goo)
is not the kind of person mother would like him to be around. He's foul mouthed
and prone to violence, and after an altercation with the driver of an expensive
car, events take a turn for the worse. Do-joon and Jin Tae set out for revenge,
squaring up to the driver on a golf course. Do-joon’s mother is faced with a
hefty fine, one that she can’t afford to pay. Do-joon, on the other hand, is
just happy to have some mementos of his day out. Mementos that might well bite
him on the ass.
A girl is found dead close-by, and suspicion falls at the feet of Do-joon. A
golf ball with his name on it was found at the scene of the crime. He is
promptly arrested and having no recollection of the events that transpired,
Do-joon confesses to the crime he knows he didn’t commit. The police close the
case, Jin Tae goes missing and an inefficient lawyer fails to rectify the
situation. So Do-joon’s mother takes it upon herself to solve the murder. Summoning
all of her maternal instincts, and trusting no one, she sets out to find the
killer and prove her sons innocence.
There are four key factors when discussing the merits of Mother, so lets start
with the obvious. Hye-ja Kym’s performance is integral to the film's success,
and she nails the role emphatically. Subtle, restrained and deeply compelling, you
won’t want to take your eyes off the screen for a second. Won Bin - in his first
role since Military service - has a tough nut to crack with the complexities of
Do-joon. Getting the balance right with mentally handicapped characters is always
a challenge, but like Kym before him, Won is never less than convincing.
Jin Goo gets a lot less screen time than the others, but his
execution counteracts perfectly with the work of his peers. Tough,
uncompromising and full of bravado, Jin Tae is a ticking time bomb with three
things on his mind - me, myself and I. The success of Mother very much depends
upon three standout turns, and three standout turns is what the film gets. Colour me happy indeed.
The fourth and final factor is Bong Joon-Ho's direction, and once again he
proves himself a master of modern cinema. Never less than calculated, Bong
makes every shot count. His style is often subtle but always to the point, and
his abilities behind the camera are unquestionable. Bong has shown us before
how comfortable he is with regards to human emotion and drama, but by tearing
down the walls of genre convention he has opened himself up to a wider
audience.
His hallmarks remain the same but he dresses them up in
different clothing, and I for one can’t wait to see what happens next. Mother
is less commercial than The Host, but that’s not to say its any less
entertaining. Memories Of Murder was a sublime critique of Korean police
procedure, but with Mother, Bong chooses to address the nature of maternal
instinct, resulting in an altogether more human affair. Three stunning
performances in front of the camera are of course a blessing, but it’s the
continued progression of the man behind the camera that satisfies most.
Fans of The Chaser, Memories Of Murder and Nowhere To Hide
will lap this up. With Mother, Bong Joon-Ho has joined a small group of
directors yet to put a foot wrong, and if this is anything to go by, I can’t
see that success ending anytime soon. AW
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