‘The Novelists Film Review: Hong Sangsoo Gets More Personal Than Ever In Tipsy Ode To Artistic Freedom
It seems odd to choose Hong Sang-soo's film as being so "personal" - not because of the comical, recursive, and very special work of a micro-budget Korean auteur that was once held or rented - but The Novelist's Film is a little different from the new Hong films. -recently. : Why is that?
While slightly lighter than Grass, more accessible than Introductory, and more refined than Hotel on the River (only three black-and-white films he's made in the last four years to justify the title), "Film from a novel" is another vignette of self-denial. artistic. It tells the absurdly absurd story of a disillusioned writer who catches an old friend, heartbroken in his usual Hong way, with his patients filled with some of their usual faces.
Once again, a chance encounter leads to a long and heated conversation about the past. once again, Hong's seemingly calm direction begins to question himself as his character is drunk. The ending of the film is as mysterious as anything Hong could think of, and the interesting post-credits gags that follow only add to the sweet sense of confusion (stick to it; the film has about 10 titles).
However, this time all of Hong's usual techniques took on a slightly different tone. Maybe because Novelis is infused with mackeoli instead of Hong's usual soju (as a seismic shift for Hong Sang-sun's universe as the Spider-Man remake is for the MCU). Or maybe because the hero of the successful but unstable film was not a filmmaker, but a director, who finally allowed him to make his first short film with the same oppressed freedom that Hong longed for.
Whatever the reason, both the novel and the film novelist seem open rather than self-defining, clearer than confessional. Considered a bitter test of what the public expects from his artwork, Hong's 27th film slowly begins to shake off the artists' expectations of themselves. While his work has always insisted that cinema expands rather than refines us, Film Reporter is an exhibition of how the function of a medium is determined by its form. Free your art and your art will set you free in return.
Of course, none of the Hong films dare to be as heartwarming as I've heard in this film, but it seems fair to say that Joon Hee's (Lee Hee Young) trip from Seoul was just as the doctor ordered. A famous writer in his 60s whose recent creative struggles have left him wondering if he has lost his ability to write, Joon Hee retreats to a quiet suburb where many of Hong's stories take place. His goal is to meet an old friend (Seo Yeon-hwa) who gave up writing literature to sell it and get to know civilian life.
This bookstore owned by Joon Hee's friend looks quite comfortable, but the tension between the owner and its young employees immediately shows that this is not a simple song about simple life. When Joon Hee starts the conversation, the insults from both sides are very polite; Joon-hee notices that his "natural" and "carefree" friends have grown in number, while the friend admits that he hasn't read Joon-hee's latest novel because now he's only interested in reading what he wants to read. . about what to read. Dec. The pendulum seems to swing away from Joon Hee, but rejection is never a big win in Hong's book.
From there, Joon Hee visits a local tourist attraction where he meets a shy director (Kwon Hye Hyo) who almost adapted one of his novels before the project fell apart. Since then, his attitude towards cinema has changed. He used to think of his life as a shame, so he devoted his energy to making films. now he feels that improving his life is the best way to improve his cinematography. "Maybe I'm getting old," he concluded, but who wouldn't? "Everyone is trying," said the wife.
When, moments later, they cross paths with a famous but unharmed actress named Kil Soo (Hong Kim Min Hee's co-star, who is also the film's production manager), the director feels that she is "a little free". and 'wasting' their talents. An annoyed Joon Hee is the only one who seems to hear the hypocrisy on that face. "Everyone wants to live life their own way," he shouted. “Wasting your talent? Try not to waste your life . Mega diss (Lee thrives in these poignant times, his character emerging with the same purity of expression he avoids on the page.)
It would be fair to say that there are no chance encounters in Hong films, but it would probably be more accurate to say that there are only chance encounters in Hong films, where there is opportunity with every new combination of people. The plot is not arranged according to dramaturgical principles, but according to the geometry of the placement of the characters, as if on a written scale they seek angles that might reveal the secret mathematics of their large-scale drawing.
In this case, bringing together Joon-hee and Kil-soo inspired these two special artists to come together to create a mid-length film that has no commercial ties or concern for its target audience. Their concept is similar to Hong's, simple, and their final project (with the help of Kil-Soo Hong Potter/the invisible but obvious director/husband) feels more plotless and "experimental." ". of whatever Hong creates for himself. I remember Olivier Assayas' ending to his first novel, Irma, which outlines a similar (if more structuralist) way out of the limitations of the self.
I don't know if Hong has the creative indecision that brings his newest heroine to life, but the film he makes for her is as revealing as the film he makes for himself. Liberate your art, your art will set you free is a great idea, but the idiosyncrasies of Hong's career make it easier to admire than to assimilate. It's unclear whether Hong is always betting money, but in Film Novelists he also finds a way to advance.
Class: B+
On Friday, October 28, the Film Guild brings the film "El novelista" to theaters.
Notes. Stay up to date with the latest movies and television news. Sign up for our email newsletter here.
