This film swept the Corean Grand Bell awards (Corea's in-country equivalent to the US' Oscars) when it was released in 1997. The story is about two lonely late-twenty/early-thirty types and the new craze that was then "The Internet". Something like a romantic drama version of the film You've Got Mail released a year later, the film sets up unrequited loves and two people who are lonely because they are unable to move on.
The two are connected through a record that the man plays, a Velvet Underground song that was a gift from his ex. As their friendship develops, they confront each other regarding their own current states and slowly begin to realize that even though they'd only met electronically (although they'd actually physically been very near each other a couple times without realizing it--think Chungking Express), that their friendship is more meaningful than they realized, Internet or no internet.
In some sense, the film is about connecting with people in loneliness, even through the internet, to find healing for your own ongoing situations. The themes of the film are just fine. The production is top notch for the state of the Corean film industry in 1997. The acting was good.
However, the film still failed to fully impress on me and I attribute it to the somewhat excessive story--or perhaps editing. The film spends a little too much time on the male lead's angst, which isn't expressed through action, but a lot of inaction. So we get the typical "gee, i'm reflecting on how my life sucks" shots far too frequently. The other problem is that the film doesn't adequately develop the characters relationship such that the end is particularly rewarding.
The end effect of the film is "oh, it's nice." But nice doesn't make a film worth watching again. The Contact has a lot going for it in terms of explorations of loneliness, unrequited love, letting go, and connecting with others as well as capable direction in terms of developing a moody atmosphere befitting the characters, as the camera traces lonely halls and corners of rooms, but in the end, the story isn't particularly compelling. Or maybe it was just me. It's an okay film; you won't hate yourself for watching it. But at the same time, it's certainly not a must watch.
On the other hand, it did get me interested in The Velvet Underground. It's an all right film. 6/10.
