Movie Reviews: Unframed

2 Hrs 10 Mins

Rating

★★★

Duration

2 Hrs 10 Mins

Movie Digest

The series consists of four different stories, namely- Bandi, Rerun, Blue Happiness, and Vote for INNO. They were all conceived by actors who both wrote and directed the script of each of these episodes.

The Feel-Good Part

Each of the episode is wildly different from one another in terms of stories as well as the artistic direction, which gives the audience new experiences within the span of one film. The levels vary from severe to light-hearted tones, which changes things up and keeps the audience hooked throughout the four-episode period. The stories are dark, and complicated. The cinematography is stunning from start to finish and does a lot to immerse the audience in the viewing experience. These established actors are pretty famous and seeing them take on new roles in the filmmaking process is very interesting as their perspectives are represented strongly here, and fans of the actors will gain greater insight into their standings.

The Disappointing Factor

The varying tones of the episodes came across as jarring from time to time, which is distracting for viewers. All the episodes are not of the same quality, while some are better than the others, so the episodes are not as consistent as they could’ve been if they were made by the same person. Additionally, there are no common themes carried forward in four episodes, which defeats the purpose of having an anthology series like this. The stories have great potential, but since the actors are not experienced in writing and directing, some episodes did not do justice to their respective promising premises.

In-Depth Analysis

Bandi is the first episode of the collection. It is about Bandi, a girl and a victim of bullying for stammering, the story utilizes a surrealist technique to tell the story. This film uses this element really well as it draws connections between the girl and Bandi (firefly) that flickers to draw parallels between them. It is sweet and delivered with kindness. Rerun is the story of a failed actor. The story deals with the perception of success and its importance in society. It shows how people deemed unsuccessful are treated in society, irrespective of their kind nature. Vote for INNO is the third episode in the collection that deals with darker themes such as corruption. Park Jeong-Min uses a junior high school election as an allegory for real-time politics, highlighting ignorance and corruption. The Last in the collection is Blue Happiness, which critiques the oppressive culture the youth has to survive. It highlights problems of job hunting and ruining relationships. It takes on broad subjects and tries to deliver the message through emotional appeal. Vote for INNO and Bandi are episodes that stand out and have connected with the audience well.

Star Power

The performances delivered in all four episodes are excellent and remain consistent throughout the runtime. The acting background of the directors might have been the reason for this.

Overall Opinion

Since the episodes are not connected and relevant to one another, you can specifically watch some of them based on what story you find interesting. Bandi and Vote for INNO are held in high regard. The other two are not as intriguing but are well-made, nonetheless.