Sad Movie

Yes, I will admit it, I am a sucker for Asian movies, be it action, horror, dramas or comedy. And South Korea really do put out a lot of amazing movies in every genre, and "Sad Movie" (aka "Saedeu mubi") is one of those amazing movies.

At first I was a bit puzzled about the title of the movie. And my confusion was heightened as the first two-thirds of the movie were romantic comedy, and as far from sad as it could be. So I was wondering if director Jong-Kwan Kwon was just using "Sad Movie" as a sarcastic title for the movie.

But then as the last third of the movie started, everything just fell into place, and boy shall I say that the movie more than lived up to its title. And it is somewhat of a tear jerker.

The story follows several couples in their ups and downs in their relationships. And the story of the sick mother and the story with the artist and girl performing in a large costume really hit home with me. Those two stories went straight to my heart.

The cast in "Sad Movie" was amazing, a lot of really good talents on the cast ensemble. And they did really good jobs portraying their individual roles and characters under the skillful direction of Jong-Kwan Kwon.

"Sad Movie" is truly a beautiful and fantastic movie that you should take the time to watch regardless of loving South Korean cinema or not. This is a movie that takes you through a lot of various emotions from joy and laughter to sadness and tears.

I upped my rating from eight to nine stars out of ten because of the magnificent ending that director Jong-Kwan Kwon managed to put on the screen. This is truly what South Korean cinema is all about.

It's been some time since I've watched a movie with a relative huge ensemble cast (think the last was Crash), and little did I expect this Korean romance movie to boost the same too, with fine acting, good comedy and lots of love demonstrated in various ways.

There are 4 separate stories in this film, and it's difficult for me to judge which of them is superior than the other. Each looked into its niche area, and have ample screen time to develop its story, though the characters do get intertwined in one another's story with little conscious interaction.

The first concerns a firefighter and his girlfriend, who works in a TV station as a news translator for the mute. She's waiting for him to propose, focused on the rationale that given his dangerous job, she likes the idea of him having to think of her, to hesitate for a while before jumping into danger. He, on the other hand, is waiting for that perfect opportunity, setting and all, before popping the question. Initially I thought that this was the most stable of the relationships, until they hit a brick wall in their communications, and as usual, misunderstanding ensues.

Breaking down of communications also happen between the firefighter and his soon-to-be sister-in-law, but that provided some of the best comedic situations in the movie. She's mute, and had her life saved by him (but he fell for the sister, so don't ask). She works as a Snow White doll in a theme park, and gets infatuated with a painter who frequents the same park. However, she's slightly disfigured on her face, and hides behind the Snow White caricature all the time. I found this to be something that I could relate to, being shy, yet bold when hiding behind a mask. Given by the audience's reaction, this piece probably is the most popular with its identifiable theme of infatuation, and the cutesy way in which it got played out.

The third story is about a mother-son relationship. The mother, being a career woman, hardly gets to interact with her child, and the son misses his mother badly. Until an illness confines her to the hospital bed, and they start to bond as mother-son would, given plenty of communication opportunities. However, as the story unfolds, it's also the most predictable of the lot. It's touching, but not as touching as the mother-son relationship in the Japanese movie Be With You last year.

The last story, and perhaps the saddest of all, is between a boy and a girl who've broken up. The girl's stuck in a dead end job and yearns to be rescued by an economically stable guy, but the guy's she's in love with (or used to be) is perpetually stuck in unemployment. When they broke up, the circumstances under which it was told to him, brought him an entrepreneurial opportunity. He tries to woo back his love, and I felt that the ending for this segment was the best in the way it developed, with the fine cinematography of reflection and rain.

The soundtrack is kept simple, with the theme song played over and over again in various situations. But somehow it's strange, that the same song, when played, seemed able to evoke the different emotions the situation wants from you. And that I'd tip my hat off to.

Halfway through, I thought that it would make a nice Valentine's movie, with its bountiful picturesque and heartwarming moments. But by its ending, even though events played out is typical of a weepy, I'd still recommend it for this season of love, for the plain message of not taking a significant other, a loved one, for granted. Tell them "I Love You", now.

Nobody could ever accuse director Kwon Jong-Gwon of false advertising in the title of this film. But even with the advance warning, the viewer is scarcely prepared for the tragic emotional impact of the movie. After the initial credits rolled, I found myself mentally girding my emotions for what I anticipated to be two hours of barely held-back tears and defensively crossed arms. But after the first twenty minutes of the film, I began to question my expectations and even wonder whether the title was merely hyperbole.

The film is a medley of four stories, each independent and integral to setting the general mood of happiness and hopefulness that permeates that first three quarters of the movie. There is the brave firefighter, played by Jung Woo-Sung, who is in love with a sign language interpreter (Lim Su-jeung) who desperately wants him to find a less dangerous job. The sister of the interpreter (Shin Min-Ah) is a deaf mute who develops a crush on a handsome young painter (Lee Ki-Woo) in the park where she works as a costumed character. The last two stories follow a young son (Yeo Jin-Goo) whose mother (Yeom Jung-Ah) is dying of cancer and a near-do-well young man (Cha Tae-Hyun) who hatches a creative plan to earn money and win back his girlfriend.

All of the stories combine a good dose of humor with their romantic plots. The viewer is taken on a pleasant stroll through the lives of the central characters, developing sympathy and really relating to the romantic successes and mishaps of the rather motley cast. By midway through the film, the anticipation of any deep sorrow is completely gone, but at the same time the title still looms over the ending. I found myself actively hoping that each character would be able to resolve his problems but still knowing that something had to go wrong before long.

It is the intensity and utter devastation of the ultimate crises that pick the viewer up and fling him against the wall. There is an expectation that the film will be balanced; the "sadness" will be of an amount commensurate with a romantic comedy. It is in this aspect that Kwon Jong-Gwon brilliantly executes his bait and switch; without any warning other than the title itself and whatever "clues" the suspicious mind might have inferred based on the title, the film suddenly goes from sunny skies to hurricane intensity. Not one dream is left unshattered and not one character's expectations are fulfilled.

Having said all that, I really enjoyed this film. Jong-Gwon's artistic expertise is evident in the details of the movie; many of the shots are gorgeously composed, and the colors throughout are vibrant and stimulating. And I also view the movie as almost an "experiment in emotion"—the stories are all simple and basic, but it shows that in the hands of a great director the audience can be brought into the story to such extent that the final betrayal feels almost personal. I feel that this is the mark of a "successful" film, because most viewers are so cynical and "worldly" when it comes to cinema that they often fail to suspend disbelief in emotional terms. This movie causes us to do so, and the result is that we are forced to question our own expectations—must romantic comedies or any other genre follow the typically prescribed formula?

Quite possibly one of the best dramas I've seen in general, this movie definitely manages to tug at all aspects of your emotions, that can bring you to tears in laughter and also in sadness.

What struck me most about the film is that the movie consisted of all the essential elements to make a great romantic comedy. The separate plot lines of several characters is strategically done to keep audiences from becoming bored, and the fact that all plot lines eventually converge or somehow is related to one another, makes the audience appreciate the characters even more - as they can watch them grow and develop.

Don't be fooled by the first 3/4 of the film tho - even though the comedy is light and fluffy, and when it seems all the characters seem to be overcoming their obstacles, the movie manages to rip your heart out with more difficult and unthinkable obstacles that makes you cry out in tears, "WHY?! Why did THAT have to happen?!" In fact, the sadness comes roaring at the end, full throttle - and it becomes pretty overbearing - you become so emotionally frustrated because it just doesn't seem fair to the characters you've come to know and grow with throughout the movie.

The star-studded cast however, has incredible chemistry with one another, as their emotions appear so genuine and real, that you can't help but feel the emotions they experience in their lives. You can feel the puppy love sensation of the girl who is too shy to express herself to the cute boy; you feel anguish and depression, but also hope for the boy who tries so hard to get his relationship back together with his ex-girlfriend, you feel the sense of guilt and worry for the girl whose boyfriend has a neck-risking job; and you feel the love between a child and his/her mother.

What manages to strike the audience at heart is the fact that the characters in the movie become so likable, that you can relate yourself to them if you've ever fallen in love, but can't find the words to say it; if you've ever been emotionally trapped in a self-made prison, and you can't find the strength to break free; and if you've been in a situation where you're at the brink of giving up, but you still gather up courage in the most unlikely of places.

Most importantly, this movie reminds us how precious time and life can be - and how jaded humans can become about their loved ones, and the fragility of life. It also reminds us that we're human - no one is ever perfect, and sometimes life itself isn't fair.

Definitely living up to its title, "Sad Movie" is a sad movie indeed. But that shouldn't stop you from appreciating this fine film. I just don't know if it's one of those movies that you can watch over and over again. Because each time you watch it, nothing better will happen :( Give it a shot though - you won't regret it.

Watching Sad Movie is a emotional rolling coaster journey. The first 2/3 part of the movie is in fact funny and witty. The character building is clever, i should say. Their relationship with their partners is convincing too.

The film actually is dealing with the theme of communication. The eight characters in the movie are more or less unable to communicate with their loved one. The honest and a bit stupid fireman, a jobless youngster, a mother and the deaf gal form four separate, yet related plot lines of the movie. The movie is moving along the plot line of how these characters's blocks of communication are being solved.

The development is smooth, full of witty moments, and plot lines help each other to maintain a overall light atmosphere of the first 2/3 of the movie.

But when the movie runs to the latter 1/3 part. it turns into a sad mood. It will definitely make you cry as i did. Although some twists may seem a bit over-sentimental, but it is still effective.It's like when you are questioning or even complaining it's too sentimental, you are crying indeed. A very funny cinematic experience.

Overall, it's one of the best Korean romance movie so far.