Movie Digest
It is a bright day in Inchon. We see siblings Ok-Joo and Dong-Joo, move out of their dingy home with their father, to live with their grandfather, after he is divorced, and financially struggling after a business failure.
The siblings struggle with the changes at first, but then they settle down, finding themselves at home in their grandfather’s home. A house is a person in itself, with its history and old walls. A place that witnessed their father growing up.
Grandfather is a little silent and distant at first, to both his son and his grandchildren. He keeps to his vegetables and fruits garden, but he gradually warms up to them in his own quiet, reticent way.
Things light up when their aunt, who is separated from her husband, also comes to live with them. She likes alcohol a little too much, but she is very kind to both Ok-Joo and her brother. Ok-Joo finds a mother in her aunt, a hole that was created after their mother left them with their father. They celebrate their grandfather’s birthday, which considerably cheers up their grandfather.
But then, grandfather’s health suddenly deteriorates. Taking care of a geriatric is a huge responsibility and their father and their aunt discuss old age homes and selling their father’s house, even though they are unwilling to do so.
Faced with the possibility of losing another home and another family, Ok-Joo and Dong-Joo struggle to come to terms with the changing circumstances of their lives, growing up and moving on.
The Feel-Good Part
As expected of a family drama, this film is littered with feel-good moments. Sometimes happy, sometimes, funny, and sometimes sad, they paint a picture of the daily lives happening in an Asian household.
In-Depth Analysis
The characters are unapologetically human. They are just one of the many families going on with their lives, struggling, laughing, crying, yelling at each other, fighting with each other, and living with each other. And yet you can’t help feeling curious about every nick and cranny of their emotional catharsis and the ever-shifting dynamics of the relationships.
When Ok-Joo finds herself in a sticky situation involving a police officer, in a misguided attempt at bettering their financial situation, you fear the reprimand that will come from her father. Yet when the reprimand comes, you feel relieved.
Her father is not reproachful because she created an embarrassing situation for him, but because she was dishonest, which could have potentially been dangerous. At that moment, emotions run high, because her father could have immediately shamed her and worsened the situation, but, what he did was care for his child by showing her the right path in life.
You are with them through each of their highs and lows and you feel like you can feel the highs of their happiness, as well as the lows of their sadness and frustration. And just like them, you are surprised by the little twist in the end.
The Disappointing Factor
This is one of those rare films which doesn’t disappoint in any way or form. It is a film about a small family and it doesn’t boast of being anything other than that. It is simple and sweet.
Star Power
Choi Jung-un is ephemeral as Ok-Joo, bringing out the vulnerability and adolescent turbulence of her character phenomenally. Park Seung-jun is mischievous and sweet as the little Dong-Joo. Park Hyun Young and Yang Heung Joo belt out stellar performances as the older, divorced siblings who, saddled with the many responsibilities that come with adult life, try to make the right decisions for the children. Joo Kim Sang-dong speaks volumes with his performance as their taciturn old grandfather.
Overall Opinion
This film is a good watch for those who are looking for a little bit of life in these troubling, tragedy-driven times. It is bittersweet and real and it’s filled with love.
