‘Hopeless Review: Kim Changhoons Feature Debut Is High On The Brutality But Lacks Depth To Be Something More Cannes Film Festival
© Available within the deadlineWritten and directed by Kim Chang Hoon, the first film 'Hopeless' has a melancholic and atmospheric tone that makes viewers feel like spectators in the dark lives of others. While the story is hopeful, its development is hampered by an overly long running time, poor editing, and an inability to tap into sentiment other than discontent.
In the South Korean city of Myeonggang, 17-year-old Yang Gyu (Hong Sa Bin) is causing trouble. He gets into violent fights at school and is quickly reprimanded. His mother expresses her frustration but does little to discipline him. In addition to his mother, he lives with his alcoholic stepfather and half-sister Hyang (Kim Hyun Seo), whom he treats like trash. Young-kyu is trying to save enough money to move to the Netherlands, but with everyone in the family earning so little, leaving the city is a distant goal. Other than that, the boy has nothing to do but earn money and be physically abused by his stepfather and school bullies.
To make a quick buck he goes to work for a local gang, stealing mopeds from people who owe him money and taking them to a butcher's shop. Through socialization, Yong Qi now engages in all elements of being a low-level gang member. The dangerous gangster she joined has ties to the police and politics as Big Boss (Kim Jong-soo) and his son Chi-gon (Song Jung-ki) work to win re-election as members of the nation. The gathering Yang-gyu learns from Chi-geon and they develop a brotherly bond, which is tested when things go awry, drawing the teenager into a world of bloodshed he's not ready for.
3 hours seems hopeless at 2:12. It goes in circles, trying to reach a point that never comes. Scattered is not the right word to describe this storyline with its many storylines that have no resolution. This can be explained by the number of characters to remember, and only one (Chi-geon) deserves to be remembered or have anything like the development of the character.
Only in the 40th minute does the plot reveal the purpose of the film: why does this boy need so much money. He is naive and is not made for this due to his conscience and emotionality. Filled with confusion and anxiety, the boy moves like an awkward clown in a circus, yet is given all these opportunities to screw up and live to tell the tale. I've never felt sorry for him. It's not because of his situation, but because the script didn't leave room for that connection.
Le Jae Woo's cinematography has a gray undertone that makes for a dull and uncomfortable atmosphere, and with Kim's solid direction, he can use all of these elements to great effect. However, all of this is undermined by Kim Sang Bum's awkward editing style, with abrupt cuts between scenes and dialogue and abrupt transitions between time jumps that make for a simple film that is both narratively and visually challenging.
Hopelessness is an apt title for this Korean life drama with a story about gratuitous violence and a road to nowhere. The story touches on a disturbing topic, but the message isn't as effective. While the premise had potential, the acting doesn't keep up with the story, drawing the audience into Yong Qi's 120 minutes of discomfort while offering nothing else to offer.
Title: Hopeless Category: Uncertain Regard Distributed by: Plus M Entertainment Writer : Kim Chang Hoon Cast: Hong Sa Bin, Gun Joong Ki, Kim Hyun Seo Duration: 2 hours and 12 minutes
For more stories like this, follow us on MSN by clicking the button at the top of this page.Click here to read the full article.
