Mother (2009)

Mother

• I’m not kidding when I Bong Joon-ho has cemented himself as one of the greatest film minds of the 21st century. He absolutely puts so much effort and detail and emotion into his films, and ‘Mother’ is a beautiful example of it. It’s one of several crime/thrillers that he’s done, and what’s awesome is that it stands out so much against his other ones. There are some moments that feel similar to others, but at the same time, it’s a whole new world with unique characters and aspects. I love how the story has an almost typical revenge feel, though it’s done differently. It’s about a mother who goes out to prove the innocence of her son, and that’s all I can say. So many different pieces emerge throughout the film, so you’re constantly guessing on who’s to blame and what might be the cause of…..certain things. Each character adds a certain piece to the puzzle, creating a very mysterious, complete collection of suspense. That was kind of a word jumble but it sounds cool to me. The performances were all great, but especially Kim Hye-ja. She emits so much emotion through her eyes, to where you don’t need any dialogue for the story to keep moving forward. Also, the scene where she meets JP was heartbreaking, and again, she is able to emit such emotion and give you sympathy, despite certain circumstances. That’s all I can say about that. But the cinematography is great, with a gritty yet vibrant look. Overall, this film slowly plays out to lead to some great creative decisions. Of course, I can’t say what, but you’ll appreciate them after watching this. It’s very fulfilling in a dark way. I’d definitely recommend it to all crime/thriller fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!