The original title of this Korean movie is Madeo, which can be translated into two meanings, both mother and murder are possible as the characters in the language are the same. Hye-ja Kim stars in this movie, in which her son Yoon Do-joon (Bin Won) is being suspected of a crime. As Yoon Do-joon has some mental issues, it’s hard for her to find out if he really has committed the crime. As a mother she’s willing to do anything to find out the truth and get her son out of jail.
The movie started out almost like a comedy as the son and a friend of his get into some trouble, including a very funny bit where Yoon Do-joon tries to kick off the mirror of a car. It doesn’t take long for the tone of the film to change once he is arrested by the police.
What follows is a story full of suspense and unexpected plot twists.
Hye-ja Kim’s acting is exquisite. I just loved the way she has managed to create a very complex and intriguing character, who’s very unpredictable. Because of the love as a mother she’s willing to go to extremes. When she starts her journey in finding the truth you’ll be glued to your chair to find out what will happen.
Mother is another movie which proves that Korea is able to generate masterpieces that as movie lover you should not miss. So this one is highly recommended!
Score: 9
Mother is definitely another impressive work of Bong Joon-ho but in my opinion, The Host is still his best work.
I know that Tarantino put it in one of his toplists. Still haven’t come around to watching it, but I do have it noted down as a movie I still have to see.
Pingback: Memories of Murder (2003) « My Filmviews