Pieta Review

Directed by Ki-duk Kim

Pieta is the newest film by South Korean auteur, Ki-duk Kim about a violent loan shark who is encountered by a woman claiming to be his long estranged mother. She apologizes for abandoning him some thirty years earlier and begs for his forgiveness. This confrontation forces him to reevaluate his life's path and priorities. This film has a wild plot but ultimately is a story of love, forgiveness and revenge, not necessarily in that order.

I've been a big fan of Ki-duk Kim films for a very long time. He is my favorite South Korean director and it is because of films just like this one. His ability to fuse unflinching violence with heart and spirituality makes for some of the best arthouse films of the past two decade. I am a fan of many of his fellow countrymen as well but, while filmmakers like Jee-woon Kim, Chan-wook Park and Joon-ho Bong are  getting enticed by Hollywood, Ki-duk Kim's films have never been accessible enough for mass consumption. His films often take unexpected shifts in plot and tone, many times blurring the lines between spirituality and reality. Among his repertoire is 2003's "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter..... and Spring", which is his only film that has been almost universally acclaimed. Most of his other films have received mixed reviews at best, this one included. I personally would apply the 'masterpiece' tag to several of his other efforts including both of his films from 2004, "Samaritan Girl" and "3-Iron". In forty years or so, when the cinematic community is discussing the Korean New Wave, Ki-duk Kim's name will be at the forefront.


Pieta is Ki-duk's best film since "3-Iron". The acting is amazing especially by Min-soo Jo as Mi-Son, the estranged mother. It's amazing to see such a performance from an actress in her first cinematic role. Her mannerisms flawlessly display the longing mother desperate to do right by her lost son. And her portrayal has been recognized by several festivals. Jeong-jin Lee does a great job as Gang-do, a character who toes the line between violent sociopath and vulnerable man-child.. I haven't seen him in anything previously but after this film, he will likely have a pretty substantial career ahead of him.

This was also a first feature for cinematographer Young-jik Jo and I was completely captivated by his work. I've never seen a film shot this way before. The majority of it was shot handheld with what was probably a very light weight DSLR. As a result, this film feels extremely intimate and the audience is treated (or mistreated) as part of or a party to even the most egregious and horrible acts performed on screen. There is no allowance for breathing room. The camera many times even goes as far as shaking slightly every time a man is struck in the face. We are also often subjected to what might best be described as the floating point-of-view perspective. Sometimes, you get the feeling of the fly on the wall. At other times, the perspective feels much less innocuous, as if you are some sort of spirit or guardian watching the story unfold and guiding its players to inevitability. This is a style that I can only hope the he keeps up because I am very much looking forward to seeing more of it. Its also very encouraging to see established filmmakers that have been in the industry for years using newer techniques and equipment that is closer to consumer grade. This is a great way to usher in the new era of cinema that is far more welcoming to those of us that would love to create art but have no means for the price tag associated shooting a film the old fashion way.

Aside from this being an amazing film, it's very encouraging to see that it is getting the type of attention it deserves. Ki-duk Kim was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, beating out big names like P.T. Anderson, Olivier Assayas, Brian DePalma and Terrence Malick. This will be his first film since 2006's "Time" that has a DVD/Blu-Ray released in a North American regional format. He has made four films since then and only 2008's "Dream" is available (streaming on Netflix).... and that's one of his lesser films. Hopefully, the critical success of this one combined with all of the new methods of distribution will pave the way for his forthcoming film, "Moebius" currently in post-production.

So far, this is my favorite film of the year and if it had come out last year, it probably would have topped my list. It is exactly the type of story I've come to love and expect from this director. It superbly handles many themes that come alive organically from the plot. The characters comment on them not as exposition but as a form of reflexion. The screenplay (written by Ki-duk) may be the unsung hero of this tale. No matter how complex the actions of the character seem, they never feel shoehorned. This is no small accomplishment. But ultimately, the plot merely serves us with the backbone of an underlying truth. Everything has its price. All actions, whether paved by good or evil intentions, will eventually require restitution.

This year is shaping up to be a very good one, especially for Korean filmmakers. Chan-wook Park's film, "Stoker" was also very impressive and Joon-ho Bong's new sci-fi film, "Snowpiercer" is set to be released yet this Summer. I watched Pieta on a VOD platform in HD for about $7. The DVD and Blu-Ray will be out on the 23rd of July from Drafthouse Films. It comes with my full recommendation.

 

Enjoy.