Movie Digest
It is 1993 in Incheon, South Korea. Doo-Seok and Jong-Bae are loan sharks. The person they are currently hounding for money is Myung-ha. Unfortunately for Myung-ha, she is up to her eyeballs with monetary issues. She is also widowed and to top that, she is an illegal immigrant.
Since she cannot pay them back and is also facing imminent deportation, Doo-Seok and Jong-Bae decide to take Myung-ha’s nine-year-old daughter, Seung-Yi as collateral. Although heartbroken over the decision, she reasons to herself that keeping the little girl with the two men is far safer than taking her with her.
Tasked with having a child in their lives for the first time, the two grumpy, jaded men brace themselves for the adventure and joy plucky little Seung-Yi brings into their lives.
The Feel-Good Part
This movie, in simple terms, is a feel-good comedy. Let’s be honest, when you see two grumpy middle-aged men suddenly having the responsibility of a little nine-year-old on their already weary stiff shoulders, chaos and humorous situations are bound to follow.
As expected of Korean dramas, the comedy is slapstick and conventional and provides a lot of light moments to complement the tragic situation of the young child.
In-Depth Analysis
The movie is fairly predictable, but the best parts are the characters. On one hand, you have the serious, professional Doo-Seok and on the other, you have the bumbling, often scolded Jong-Bae. Doo-Seok often drills into his thick head how “you gotta be really hard on them and even then you’ll barely get your money back”, while Jong-bae curses at him whenever he is out of earshot.
You get the picture that they don’t like each other, but throughout the movie, you do not see them in any hurry to change their general circumstances. It is hard not to look at them and then glance at our brothers and sisters and not see the similarity.
You worry when the two men, to be strictly professional with handling their collateral, decide to call Seung-Yi Pawny. After all who calls a child something like that? Even Seung-Yi decides that Doo-Seok is a meanie. And then the next moment, you see them immediately melt and sputter when she asks them for a CD player or a pink dress, or when they see her tiny form trembling with tears. It’s then you grin and realize that both of the men are idiots and you are in for a joy ride. Where you would need some tissues.
The Disappointing Factor
The film is a bit hastily made. Director Dae Gyu-Kang has skipped from plotline to plotline, which has made the narrative uneven. This affects the development of the relationship between Doo-Seok and Seung-Yi a little. The second half is a little too weepy to be taken seriously.
Star Power
As put by little Seung-Yi, Doo-Seok is a little mean on the outside, but very warm-hearted inside. Actor Sung Dong-il plays the tired-yet-loving caretaker with ease, putting on the role like a second skin. As much as the character tries to appear cool and detached, you cannot help but wait for the next chance that would crumble under the innocent gaze of Seung-Yi. Speaking of Seung-Yi, both Park So-Yi and Ha Ji-Won play the younger and older version of Seung-Yi effortlessly. Kim Hee-Won makes our bellies ache as the third-wheeling Jong-Bae. Kim Yun-Jin is superb as Myung-ha, really bringing out the character’s motherly love and inner turmoil.
Overall Opinion
This is one of those films that you watch on a Sunday afternoon, with your family, laughing and crying at the same time. It cannot be called a cinematic masterpiece, but it does ensure quality family time.
