Movie Digest
A little girl who saw her father’s crime escapes on an island during a stormy night, leaving her final will and a pair of shoes on the rock. The corpse has not yet been discovered due to the poor weather. The case cannot be resolved without the body, so it is just written off as a suicide. Detective Hyun Soo travels to the island to look into the girl’s enigmatic death.
The Feel-Good Part
The real power of women is not the power of men dressed as women. Women’s power in this film effectively plays out its transforming and liberating quality, yet in a rather calm, descreet variety: silent, subtle, empathetic, and unobtrusive. It symbolizes in an eccentric way how the typically undervalued “weak” in “female” becomes “powerful” and plays out its liberating quality. The plot is interesting, deep, and complicated. The investigator, who is capable and tough yet also damaged and vulnerable, faces more and more unanswered questions about her own life as the search progresses. She gradually develops an emotional bond with the victim who has gone missing. She can’t let go of the case, even if everyone else thinks it is obvious and straightforward. She feels compelled to expose some form of injustice. Is she battling for the victim who has vanished? Is she defending herself? In either case, she discovers the solution she seeks.
The Disappointing Factor
Not everyone will like The Day I Died. The fact that so little occurs and we essentially always follow the detective may be quite aggravating. However, while being straightforward and understandable, this has a powerful and poignant plot. Check it out if you can handle a melodrama with a gradual build and a hint of mystery.
In-Depth Analysis
No Jung-Ui (Roh Jeong-Eui) vanishes on a stormy night and leaves her final will behind. After a protracted absence, Kim Hyun-Soo (Kim Hye-Soo) is preparing to resume her career as a detective. Prior to her scheduled return, Kim Hyun-employer Soo’s gives her the task of looking into No Jung’s case. Ui’s No Jung-Ui testified in a criminal case as well. The ex-detectives who were in charge of looking out for No Jung-Ui and her family are met by Kim Hyun-Soo. She also meets with Lee Jung-Eun, a native islander who was the last to see No Jung-Ui. Kim Hyun-Soo is sympathetic to No Jung Ui’s suffering and mourns with her while looking into her case. Kim Hyun-Soo investigates the secretive explanation for No Jung-absence.
Star Power
The amazing Kim Hye Soo cannot be left out if we mention the stars. Being a female protagonist, Roh Jeon Eui should have had more screen time, which is disappointing. She nevertheless does a fantastic job. Hopefully, future ventures will showcase her abilities more. Lee Jung Eun is a superb actress who steals the show as the peasant who is mute and exudes mystery.
Overall Opinion
The two veterans, Kim Hye-soo and Lee Jung-eun, are a powerful presence that, in a poignant way, completes an exciting narrative. Here, women are in charge of both the script and the direction. Although “The Day I Died: Unclosed Case” is not a conventional criminal drama, it is an interesting film with a nuanced portrayal of women’s power.
