Korean drama Mother is
a story of maternal love. Bong Joon-ho director of The Host tells the story of a widowed woman (Kim Hye-ja) who sells
herbs in a small Korean town. She looks after her only son Do-joon (Won Bin) who
has an unspecified mental disability which makes him shy and come across as
forgetful and dim-witted. He is referred to as a retard by those who know him
and want to get a reaction from him. One night on his way home from a bar,
Do-joon spots a teenage girl walking alone. He calls after her but then goes
home. The next morning the girl is found dead and Do-joon is arrested for her
murder. Convinced of his innocence, his mother stops at nothing to uncover the
real killer.
The story is thoroughly enthralling and it twists and turns,
constantly throwing up new clues or misdirections. I thought I had figured out
who the killer was, and what their motives were on a number of occasions only
to have another twist thwart my attempts to figure it out. The film is very
good at giving obvious misdirected clues as well as subtle hints, some of which
go nowhere while others are important. The story had me well and truly gripped.
Both lead actors are excellent. Kim Hye-ja, who won awards
for her portrayal of the mother, is full of despair and determination and you
can emphasise with her cause. You get the feeling from the outset that she will
do literally anything to prove her son’s innocence and not stop until she has exhausted
every line of enquiry. Won Bin is also very good as the mentally challenged Won
Bin. It looks as though a lot of work went into researching his character and
getting every facet spot on. Bong Joon-ho’s direction is quite superb. Each
shot is exquisitely framed and the film looks very beautiful. He has also got
superb performances from his cast.
The film has a satisfying climax which as well as tying up
all the loose ends, gives complete closure to every part of the film. It was
well worth waiting the 128 minutes to get to.
I haven’t got a bad word to say about the film but it lacks
something I can’t quite put my finger on to make it a five star film.
Nonetheless, it is remarkably well made and features some very poignant
moments, particularly towards the end as well as great mystery and even a humorous
first act.
8/10
