Green Night is writer-director Shuai Han’s follow-up to her acclaimed debut Summer Blur. Whereas that film is an intimate coming-of-age tale, this is a neo-noir thriller touching upon immigration, being trapped in an unloving, abusive relationship, and unexpected same-sex attraction. It is quite ambitious for a sophomore film. Can the fresh-faced filmmaker pull it off, or did her reach exceed her grasp?
Jin Xia (Fan Bingbing) is a Chinese immigrant living in Seoul. She works customs at Incheon Airport and is currently separated from her husband, though he’s desperate to get her back. One day at work, Jin Xia encounters a lady with green hair (Lee Joo-young) who just seems off. Instead of finishing the customs check, the mystery lady wanders back out of the airport. Shaken, Jin Xia leaves as well but happens to grab a taxi with the lady with the green hair. The two share instant chemistry, so they head back to Jin Xia’s apartment. While getting to know each other more, Jin Xia’s troubles with her husband come to light. The green-haired woman reveals she’s part of a drug trafficking ring.
Eventually, Jin Xia and the nameless female take on and kill her husband. After the deed is done, they hatch a plan to make it look like an accident and escape. However, the green-haired lady left incriminating evidence behind, and the attempt to retrieve it thwarts the getaway. Can Jin Xia and the green-haired woman find their freedom, or will they die trying?
Green Night is lightning in the bottle. The cinematography by Kim Hyun Seok and Matthias Delvaux makes everything feel hazy and dreamlike. However, the color palette and lighting retain a thriller sensibility that gives the story a dark edge. Tom Lin’s editing maintains the pace without sacrificing character development. When Jin Xia first gets her new friend home, she tells her to go wash her feet. This doesn’t come across as awkward or strange but rather a reasonable demand from someone with some strict standards. The green-haired woman is actually quite honest about everything she encounters, which makes her refusal to give her name an intriguing deliberate choice.
“…the green-haired lady left incriminating evidence behind, and the attempt to retrieve it thwarts the getaway.”
The LGBTQIA+ element is not just window dressing, as it is used to help Jin Xia discover her true self and become more confident. Her being an immigrant helps explain why they don’t involve law enforcement and also why Jin Xia’s landlord dismisses a lot of her concerns. Again, without spoiling the plot, these things aren’t just too crap on the main character. They are used to highlight how much she grows by the end.
Fan Bingbing has had a brilliant run in her home country, from My Way to The Lady In The Portrait. Unfortunately, with some exceptions, her more prominent Hollywood turns have been lackluster or used her improperly, i.e., The 355. But in Green Night, she proves her versatility and skill. The subtle glances Fan Bingbing gives to her supervisor to indicate something is amiss hide pain. The stares at the woman with green hair are filled with longing and desire. The actor plays the character’s meekness with the right amount of charm, so her hidden potential is easily seen.
Lee Joo-young is also incredible. She’s fierce, fun, and playful in all the right ways. The way she just casually leaves the airport or her nonchalance over Jin Xia’s husband’s death always rings true. The leads share undeniable and explosive chemistry that makes the entire film sizzle.
Green Night is a thrilling masterpiece. The screenplay uses the neo-noir setup to explore some weighty issues. Fan Bingbing and Lee Joo-young are perfect and play off each other naturally. As the tensions ramp up, audiences will be on the edge of their seat, waiting to see what fate befalls the lady with green hair and Jin Xia.
For more information about Green Night, visit its official Film Movement page.
"…a thrilling masterpiece."
