Very Powerful Movie *Spoiler*

First of all, I had no idea what kind of movie I was getting into. I heard from a few people that the movie is good, and it was available on Amazon Prime video, so I said why not.

From the get go, I could tell this movie was different from other movies I am used to seeing. I am Korean-American and I frequent all kinds of American and Korean movies. The movie screamed out realism. After 5 minutes in, I wasn't even sure if I was watching a movie. It felt like a documentary, even more so, seeing lives as they happened right before my eyes.

At first, I did not know how to react to the way the story was told. I felt uncomfortable throughout the first half of the movie, and at times I wanted to discontinue my viewing. It's strange, because the movie doesn't contain any graphic or violent scenes (except for the short assault scene which sets up the remainder of the story). Nor does the movie contain excessive language or suggestive themes. I only realized after the viewing why I was so uncomfortable at first - it was how strikingly similar the movie was to real life. There are no eye-candy scenes, no comic relief or forcefully added feel good moments, no defined character development. The movie depicts life as it happens.

I have to admit, one of the main reasons I was uncomfortable initially was the amount of fidgeting Gong-ju displayed. At first, I was hoping she was a minor character and didn't have to sit through the entire movie watching her painful spastic motions. As the movie progressed, the two characters started to grow in my heart and I was no longer bothered by Gong-ju's fidgeting. What is powerful is that the director succeeds in delivering the message by using the audience (like myself) as an example of the issue at hand. The society views Gong-ju as a disable who should not be let out in the public. To the society she is seen as uncomfortable, an eye-sore, and a burden which hits home with my initial reaction to seeing her.

Even more powerful message I picked up on is how two misfits as together seem to serve a very valuable role in the society. It is only when these two come together the audience can see that Jong-du, for the first time, is kind, loving, and pure hearted; Gong-ju as not someone who is completely disconnected from the world, but who is able to communicate/express, formulate thoughts and have desires no different than a "regular" person.

My favorite moments:
1. Jong-du's older brother lectures Jong-du on how he is an adult now and he has to learn to take responsibility for his actions. Later we find out that Jong-du took responsibility for his older brother's action charged with manslaughter. This is hypocrisy at its best.

2. The brother of Gong-ju tries to settle the "rape case" by trying to earn cash compensation from the brothers of Jong-du. Combine this scene with the part where Gong-ju's sister-in-law talks to Gong-ju about how expensive it is to pay the next door neighbor to help feed her. We can see how inconsiderate Gong-ju's family is.

3. The scene where Gong-ju struggles to testify to the police that Jong-du did not rape her. This scene sums up the whole society's misunderstanding of people like Jong-du and Gong-ju. The society fails to understand them in a deeper level, but chooses to treat them as they see fit. Jong-du's brothers thinking that Jong-du brought Gong-ju to the party with ill-intention depicts the society's preconceived notion of people according to their insecurities.

Overall, a very powerful movie. I would be careful to recommend this movie to everyone, since some may not "get it" and become offended. If the viewer is to see this movie with fully open mind and heart, I would 100% recommend it.