51page
51 Review by Dean Crawford KOREAN DVD CORNER THE SMALL SCREEN Directed by Sohn Young-seong PG-13 Despite the fact that Korea has produced some interesting movies of late, there’s no de- nying that it has also produced its fair share of stinkers. So whenever I’m looking for some- thing new to watch, my fail-safe option is to stick to what I know and make my way through the back catalog of one of my favorite Kore- an actors, Ha Jung-woo. One such film that passed me by was Sohn Young-seong’s court- room drama “The Client” (2011). The movie follows the story of Han Cheol-min (Jang Hyuk), who is accused of murdering his wife on the night of their wedding anniversary. His wife’s blood is all over their apartment, but no body is found. Ahn Min-ho (Park Hee-soon) is the lead prosecutor and has no doubt that Han is guilty, as he was linked to another killing in the past, but released on a technicality. Heading up the defense is Kang Seong-hee (Ha), a cocksure attorney who is attracted to the case due to the intriguing nature of the crime. In addition to there being no body, there’s no evidence direct- ly linking Han to the murder, which leads Kang to believe it’s simply a case of the police trying to nail anyone they can. But as all the grizzly details are revealed, Kang finds out that nothing is simple about the case at all. “The Client” is everything you would expect from a courtroom drama in that it’s extremely dialogue-heavy and, up until the film’s climax, you are never really sure what the outcome will be. There are several red herrings thrown into the mix to try and throw you off the scent, but if you keep your wits about you, you’ll probably guess the way the movie will end up (though perhaps not the exact details). “The Client” might not be “A Few Good Men” (1992), but is a must for fans of Ha Jung-woo. Drama / Thriller 123 minutes The Client 의뢰인 One of the biggest hits of last year — and, co- incidentally, another courtroom drama — was Yang Woo-seok’s feature debut, “The Attorney,” starring the amazing Song Kang-ho. Without ever directly referencing his name, the movie is based on the early life of Korea’s ninth president, Roh Moo-hyun, whose pre-political career was dedicated to preserving the human rights of stu- dents on the peninsula. Song Woo-seok (Song) is a tax attorney in his hometown of Busan. Despite being a success, he is looked down upon by others in his field due to his lack of a university diploma and his desire for financial gain. His outlook changes, however, once he sees police brutality directed at a group of students after they were falsely accused of being communists. It’s not uncommon for to me complain about the sudden tonal shift in Korean movies, but “The Attorney” is a perfect example of a director get- ting it spot on. Looking at the film’s jovial movie poster, you could be forgiven for thinking after the first 30 minutes that you are simply watch- ing a comedy about an uneducated local man making good. But once the protests happen and the subject matter darkens, so does the tone. Whereas a film like “Hot Young Bloods” (2014) would have benefited from keeping the mood pri- marily upbeat, that just wouldn’t have worked in a film about state brutality and torture. Song Kang-ho proves once again that he is one of the best actors working today as he delivers a passionate, enthusiastic performance. At times the acting veers into the melodramatic, such as when some of the courtroom scenes become full-on shouting matches, but where this might have been a turn-off in other films, Song is con- stantly captivating. The film’s final image of the character is bittersweet, depending on your poli- tics, but knowing the circumstances surrounding the life of the real Roh Moo-hyun, it’s hard not to be a little sad in the face of such a tender moment. The film is ultimately a tale of right versus wrong, which most of us can sympathize with. It’s a fitting tribute to one of Korea’s most con - troversial leaders that everyone living in the ROK should see. Directed by Yang Woo-seok PG-13 Drama 127 minutes The Attorney 변호인
51page
51page