First of all, I'd like to say that, I'm not a big fan of Korean big screen movies. So the time I watched this movie, was because my teacher played it at class.
From the beginning of this movie, I was kinda suspicious why would a K- drama set such movie orientation / opening. A "confession" of a man (Gang-sik), sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, who after fifteen years of good behavior is awarded the chance to be released for a day to see his son. After that there are some scenes where Gang-sik went to church and asked such questions as he's read bible for the 3rd times, but couldn't find an answer. I don't really see him as a criminal, and I guess, it's hinted that Gang-sik wasn't in his clear mind at the time he committed his crime, but his actions aren't excused by anything and Gang-sik never tries to justify himself. Nah, from that time I 'got' the point of Gang-sik's real characteristics, he just won over my heart, and maybe the other viewers', too? Positive point, just how the director & the actor can cooperate to make a 'murder' able to win over viewers' heart.
Secondly, the storyline flows just fine. Like, when Gang-sik first came to his house, saw his mother's condition & went to see his son. It's rather fluctuative about how his son (Joon-suk) really feels. Most of the way we can figure out how Joon-suk really feels is by seeing his inner monologues. At this point, I think it can be both positive & minus point; positive because it's unique & negative because in some states of mind, it can be irritating. But then again, these 'tricks' successfully raises the emotional tension. How they finally interacted with each other, rejection at first, but then acceptance, little by little.
The main twist of the movie (I'm not going to spoil it) comes up at about ¾ part of total duration. What I can say about this main twist is, it's something you wouldn't expected before. So heart-wrenching, I did cry. Hard. Not because of poetic or extremely-touching words, but it just goes that way, visually, & you just know what the characters feel for each other.
Great story-line, after-all. 'A day' is not really 'a day', though it literally is. That one and only day to express, to explain, to pay all the unexpressed, unexplained, unpaid feelings & care. One day for a son to get to know about his father. One day for a father to re-introduce himself to his son, to let his son sees him not as a violent murderer, but as a dad.
About the other aspects (music, filming tricks, effects, or whatever), they aren't as superb compared to Hollywood's dramas, but well done. Let's say as a whole package, this movie is really worth to watch. Awesome script played by good actors, just makes the emotional scenes seem so real.
From the beginning of this movie, I was kinda suspicious why would a K- drama set such movie orientation / opening. A "confession" of a man (Gang-sik), sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, who after fifteen years of good behavior is awarded the chance to be released for a day to see his son. After that there are some scenes where Gang-sik went to church and asked such questions as he's read bible for the 3rd times, but couldn't find an answer. I don't really see him as a criminal, and I guess, it's hinted that Gang-sik wasn't in his clear mind at the time he committed his crime, but his actions aren't excused by anything and Gang-sik never tries to justify himself. Nah, from that time I 'got' the point of Gang-sik's real characteristics, he just won over my heart, and maybe the other viewers', too? Positive point, just how the director & the actor can cooperate to make a 'murder' able to win over viewers' heart.
Secondly, the storyline flows just fine. Like, when Gang-sik first came to his house, saw his mother's condition & went to see his son. It's rather fluctuative about how his son (Joon-suk) really feels. Most of the way we can figure out how Joon-suk really feels is by seeing his inner monologues. At this point, I think it can be both positive & minus point; positive because it's unique & negative because in some states of mind, it can be irritating. But then again, these 'tricks' successfully raises the emotional tension. How they finally interacted with each other, rejection at first, but then acceptance, little by little.
The main twist of the movie (I'm not going to spoil it) comes up at about ¾ part of total duration. What I can say about this main twist is, it's something you wouldn't expected before. So heart-wrenching, I did cry. Hard. Not because of poetic or extremely-touching words, but it just goes that way, visually, & you just know what the characters feel for each other.
Great story-line, after-all. 'A day' is not really 'a day', though it literally is. That one and only day to express, to explain, to pay all the unexpressed, unexplained, unpaid feelings & care. One day for a son to get to know about his father. One day for a father to re-introduce himself to his son, to let his son sees him not as a violent murderer, but as a dad.
About the other aspects (music, filming tricks, effects, or whatever), they aren't as superb compared to Hollywood's dramas, but well done. Let's say as a whole package, this movie is really worth to watch. Awesome script played by good actors, just makes the emotional scenes seem so real.
