This film follows with the tradition of many Korean films, pushing the limits of decency in certain parts while really making you think about what is important in life. Minus a few of the very disturbing and in my mind, unnecessary scenes (if you watch it, you'll know what i'm referring to - I don't want to talk about it) the movie is absolutely brilliant. It is directed by Kim Ki-duk, a person that is well-known for pushing the limits in film.
The story follows Lee Kang-do, a brutal debt collector for loan sharks whose organization preys on the most vulnerable members of society. The interest charged on the loans is absurd and while it isn't directly stated in the film, it is designed so that the people wont be able to pay it back. Instead, the loan sharks are concurrently running an insurance scam where the debtors sign a policy that pays money in the event of their disfigurement. Lee Kang-do facilitates the mutilation of these people in order to collect the money from turning them into cripples for life. He performs a series of terrible events that it is difficult for any of us to imagine doing to anyone else... the one that impacted me most was when he confronts an old woman who was the mother of one of his victims and she has no money to pay him. She lives in a horrible poverty with her only comfort in life being her pet rabbit: He takes the rabbit.
Lee Kang-do feels no remorse for these actions until one day a woman claiming to be his mother who abandoned him shows up and refuses to go away. He eventually learns of the compassion and love that can only be brought upon themselves by family. He begins to feel remorse for what it is that he has done in his life because he now knows what empathy feels like and what it means to care about someone other than yourself.
he kicks her out initially but she keeps turning up with wonderful gifts, like live eels to eat
I don't want to spoil the film, but unless you have lived a very closely-knit life with your family, there are going to be moments where the movie makes you question what you truly consider to be important in life. One quote I had to pause the movie and write it down
"what is money? money is the beginning and end of all things: Love, honor, hatred, revenge"
This movie, like many other Korean films is quite shocking, so be prepared for that. It won a bunch of awards including the treasured Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival.
This movie made me think, made me angry, and made me sad - plus you don't really know which direction it is going and I love that in a film.
8 / 10