Pieta (2013)

For those who might not know Pieta (pity in English) is the first Korean film to win the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival. Not only that, but Pieta is also South Korea submission for the 85Th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film category. It won plenty of other Awards to and will continue do so, but falls short of greatness.

Pieta is about a loan shark who is forced to reconsider his violent lifestyle after the arrival of a mysterious woman claiming to be his long-lost mother. The film is a dark drama that will be unpleasant to watch. If you can't handle the sight of a grown man giving his mother flesh from his thigh to eat than this movie is not for you. It is consistently depressing, but the twisted mother-son relationship is compelling material. Though hard to watch times, the relationship carries many meaning and an interesting story of itself. The strained relationship is interesting to analyze and a good subject matter for a movie. Unfortunately the compelling material in the first halve of the film is ruined when the second halve becomes a film about revenge. The second halve is not as interesting because the mother and son do not interact as much. It becomes more depressing to view as we see the loan shark spiraling into depression. Though the impact of earlier events are missing. The ending of the film works in context, except loses meaning due to the second halve slowly declining in quality. Overall though, Pieta is an interesting and dark compelling drama that will in no doubt have you move.

The acting from leading actors Lee Jung-jin and Jo Min-su is what makes the film strong. Lee Jung-jin cold approach to his character is the proper opposite for Jo Min-su whose more sympathetic. It also works well in reverse when the two actors character change throughout the course of the film. The film does include other actors, though mostly limited and effective when on screen. The visuals of the film are visceral with primarily dark color in nearly every shot. The heavy uses of dark blue in the film properly get across the bitterness and harsh reality of the world your viewing.

Pieta is a compelling drama that falls short of greatness in the second halve short. It is Lee Jung-jin and Jo Min-su strong acting abilities that help the film even in the writing weakest of moments. Pieata is a harsh drama that one does not watch for entertainment, but if you give it a chance it will move you in a way few drama can.