Joon-Ho Bong’s Mother is the second Korean film I have seen for a Folkways review; it left me just as impressed and excited as the last. The reason that Mother was such an exciting film to see in the theatre is because it was so genuinely surprising. This is a thriller with twists and turns which actually function as twists and turns; even if you think you know where the plot is going, you will still be surprised when it gets there.
Hye-ja Kim plays the title character, ‘Mother’, with hypnotic conviction. In the movie, her son is accused of a heinous murder. She knows without any doubt that it is impossible that her son could have committed this crime not because she has any evidence against it but because he is her son and being her son makes him infallible in her eyes. The trouble is that her son, Yoon Do-joon, suffers from some unspecified mental handicap and cannot even remember what happened on the night that the crime took place.
Do-joon’s best friend, Jin-tae, easily manipulates him into situations which he would not even begin to consider on his own. I, as an audience member, felt that he was trying to help Do-joon but his doting mother has other feelings. She labels Jin-tae as a “bad seed” and immediately suspects him of framing her beloved son.
As the police-force proves inept, Mother begins to investigate the crime on her own and she makes a series of shocking discoveries while proving her willingness to do anything in order to prove her son’s innocence. As I said earlier, this is a film with twists that are genuinely surprising. It is not often that you can say that about a movie and it should be celebrated.
Hye-ja Kim’s performance as Mother is perfect. There is not a moment in which she shows any doubt in her son regardless of what happens. According to the review on Filmspotting, Hye-ja Kim is known to Korean movie-goers as a mother. This stems from an iconic television role. I can only imagine seeing the film with a pre-conceived idea about the actress and I am sure it would greatly change the experience of watching its plot unfold.
Mother, similarly to Joon-Ho Bong’s previous film, The Host, serves as a deconstruction of the family unit and the importance of familial relationships. While examining the topic and telling an engrossing story, the film manages to be thrilling, sad and darkly comedic without ever forsaking its established tone.
When I saw this film, I was the only person in the theatre and I could not help but wish that more people could have discovered this movie with me. I feel so fortunate each time I am able to see a unique film and when I find myself alone in a theatre it makes me worry that I may not get this opportunity much longer. If it is playing near you, do not miss out on the chance to see it (though it probably is not a good choice for mother’s day).
