A boy returns home from school to discover that his mother has abandoned their family and moved in with another man. The boy’s father has collapsed from grief and his sister can barely contain her heartbroken emotions. The boy, believing that he can force his mother to return to her maternal responsibilities, wraps a knife in a towel and goes to the apartment of his mother’s lover for a violent confrontation.
South Korean filmmaker So-Jin Park’s short drama is a taut and compelling study in anger and despair. When the simmering violence finally erupts, it comes in a wholly unexpected action that further deepens the youthful protagonist’s anguish.
Seung-min Mun is uncommonly fine as the boy who learns a painful lesson, while Gyeong Hwang is briskly efficient as the least likely Mother of the Year contender. This memorable production is currently on the festival circuit, where it will hopefully bring great attention to its creative team.
