Mother (Madeo)

2010

Mother (Madeo)

Critics Consensus

As fleshy as it is funny, Bong Joon-Ho's Mother straddles family drama, horror and comedy with a deft grasp of tone and plenty of eerie visuals.

96%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 117

88%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 16,147

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Mother (Madeo) Photos

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Movie Info

Hye-ja is a single mom to 27-year-old Do-joon. Her son is her raison d'être. Though an adult in years, Do-joon is naïve and dependent on his mother and a constant source of anxiety, often behaving in ways that are foolish or simply dangerous. Walking home alone one night down a nearly empty city street, he encounters a young girl who he follows for a while before she disappears into a dark alley. The next morning, she is found dead in an abandoned building and Do-joon is accused of her murder. Thanks to an inefficient lawyer and an apathetic police force, Do-joon's case is quickly closed, but his mother refuses to let this be the end of the story.
  • Rating:
    R (for language, some sexual content, violence and drug use)
  • Genre:
    Art House & International, Drama, Mystery & Suspense
  • Directed By:
    Bong Joon Ho
  • Written By:
    Park Eun-kyo
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Box Office:
    $500,000
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    Magnolia Pictures

Cast

Hye-ja Kim
as Mother
Jin Goo
as Jin-tae
Je-mun Yun
as Je-mun
Jun Mi-sun
as Mi-sun
Song Sae-beauk
as Sepaktakraw Detective
Lee Young-suck
as Ragman
Lee Young-seok
as Ragman
Moon Hee-ra
as Moon Ah-jung
Chun Woo-hee
as Mina
Kim Byeong-seon
as Chief
Kim Byoung-soon
as Chief
Yu Mou-young
as Mr. Gong Suk-ho (lawyer)
Bin Won
as Yoon Do-joon
Jung Young-ki
as Thin high-schooler
Ko Kyu-phill
as Fat High Schooler
Lee Mi-do
as Girl with scar
Kim Gin-goo
as Ah-jung's grandmother
Kim Hong-jip
as Jong-pal
Min Kyung-Jin
as Mr. Gong's Assistant
Cho Kyung-sook
as Mina's mother
Myeong-shin Park
as Shop owner
Park Myung-shin
as Shop owner
Yoon Yeong-geol
as Detective
Gweon Byeong-Gil
as Golf Course Dean
Kwon Byeong-gil
as Golf-course Dean
Kwon Beom-tak
as Golf-course Cart Driving Professor
Beom-taek Gweon
as Golf Course Cart Driving Professor
Ha Deok-sung
as Golf-Course Runaway Professor
Yeom Dong-hun
as Golf Course Fat Professor
Yum Dong-hyun
as Golf-course Fat Professor
Lee Young-eun
as Ah-jung's Relative
Lee Jung Eun
as Ah-jung's relative
Yim Geun-ah
as Ah-jung's Relative
Hwang Young-hee
as Ah-jung pregnant relative
Kim Mi-joon
as Hye-ja's Customer
Hong Gyung-yeon
as Hye-ja's Customer
Kim Tae-wan
as Young Do-joon
Yoo In-soo
as Prisoner
Cho Moon-ui
as Prisoner Wearing Glasses
Kwack Byung-gyu
as Charcoal Man
Lee Dae-yun
as Pharmacist
Lee Dae-hyun
as Pharmacist
Lim Sung-mi
as Ah-jung's Friend with Scar
Sung Joon-seo
as Prison Guard Uncle Jong-do
Lim Young-guk
as Journalist
Lim Hyoung-guk
as Journalist
Han Jee-jee
as Policewoman
Min-jung Kim
as Miss Kim
Jang Pil-gyung
as Middle Schooler Playing Game
Moon Bock-dong
as Middle Schooler Eating Rice Cake
Kim Tae-hwan
as Middle Schooler Eating Fish Cake
Lee Seung-hyung
as Middle Schooler Wearing Glasses
Nam Sung-ho
as Waiter at Manhattan
Lee Ok-joo
as Employee at a Supermarket
Kim Jung-wook
as Detective Wearing Leather Jacket
Kim Bo-gyung
as Barmaid
Kim Bo-Gyeong
as Barmaid
Lee Byeol-im
as Barmaid Mixing Drinks
Lee Hyun-joo
as Barmaid Clapping Hands
Han Mee
as Caddie
Jae-Won Choi
as Mr. Park Jong-pyo (Prosecutor)
Lee Gyu-hyun
as Dr. Yoon Jong-gu
Kim Gyu-nam
as Man Watching Spot Investigation
Jang Yong-joo
as Man Watching a Car Accident
Choi So-mang
as British Boy
Christopher Briscoe
as British Boy's Dad
Christopher Briscoe
as British Boy's Dad
Oh Won-sik
as Waiter at a Karaoke
Park Tae-joon
as Prison Guard at Corridor
Yoon Hye-jin
as Young Woman at a Coach Station
Jeong Dong
as Detective
Kwon Ki-hoon
as Detective
Shin Young-sik
as Taxi Driver
Shin-Jae-young
as Laundress
Park In-mok
as Cook-pot at Grill House
Yoo Jong-hwan
as Taxi Driver
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Critic Reviews for Mother (Madeo)

All Critics (117) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (112) | Rotten (5)

View All Critic Reviews (117)

Audience Reviews for Mother (Madeo)

  • Jun 20, 2015
    fan of this director, this feature also written by him focuses on a mothers persistent pursuit of her sons freedom at any cost. Awkwardly engaging, serenely shot with intrepid camerawork. Most importantly well acted and crafted, with humour and creativity being key in the darkest moments.
    Sanity Assassin ! Super Reviewer
  • Aug 22, 2013
    Joon-ho Bong's "Mother" is a Korean thriller, which takes one mother's deep love for her simple son and turns it into an intriguing murder mystery with a slight hint of darkness. When Do-joon, a mentally challenged young man, is put away for the murder of a high school girl, his mother becomes determined to prove his innocence. Hye-ja Kim, who plays Mother, portrays an innocence all her own, with a deep sadness projected from her eyes in every scene, while blindly devoted and completely positive of her son's inability to commit such a crime, carrying this film from start to finish. Most of the characters she comes across feel guilty of something, whether it be the murder in question or something equally as bad, and prove just as devious as one has come to expect in the dark world of Korean cinema. Had the film been darker and captured more of a horror film feel, "Mother" would have been the perfect thriller. Instead, it rides the line between thriller and drama, never quite letting all the way go. With some stunning cinematography and a thought-provoking twist to a murder mystery, Bong's transcends its inability to stay dark and leaves a memorable benchmark in foreign films.
    Christopher H Super Reviewer
  • Aug 17, 2013
    So outstanding I can barely comprehend it. A sheer masterpiece in storytelling and direction. Unmissable.
    Marcus W Super Reviewer
  • Sep 22, 2012
    A wonderful thriller, unraveled masterfully by a director destined to leave a strong legacy in the Korean cinematic history, with exceptional performance by Hye-ja Kim playing the mother whose protective instincts drive her to extremes.
    Nicolas K Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

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