[HanCinema's Film Review] "Ten Months"

As I have mentioned before, the efforts of Busan (mostly) and Jeonju festivals to encourage women filmmakers to produce movies that stray away from the crime-thriller, male-dominated norms of the industry, has proved quite fruitful, with titles like "House of Hummingbird" and "KIM Jiyoung: Born 1982" meeting international success. Writer-director Namkoong Sun follows on the same indie footsteps, through a narrative, though, that seems to be more comedic than dramatic.

"Ten Years" is screening at New York Asian Film Festival

Advertisement

Mi-rae is a young woman who works at an IT company, while retaining an equally satisfying relationship with Yoon-hoo, a young man who works for a toy company. The only problem Mi-rae seems to face is her parents' attitude, and particularly her father's, who considers her profession a "fake" one, since his only notion of professional achievement is for someone to be working for an organization. Nevertheless, and despite her occasional annoyance, the young girl seems to be happy. That is until she realizes that she is pregnant, a fact that kickstarts a series of events that bring her whole life upside down, as both her's and Yoon-hoo's ignorance and immaturity come to the fore. The two of them try to work the whole thing out, but having a child in the modern Korean setting, is proven much more difficult than they could anticipate.

Namkoong Sun creates a narrative that consists of mainly two elements. The first one is comedy and the second drama filled with social commentary, mostly revolving around the concept of parenthood, and particularly what it means for a woman. The first aspect mostly derives from the hilarious dialogues, with the ones between Mi-rae and her doctors, which highlight her utter ignorance, being among the most memorable of the film, along with the ones among the family members.

This sense of hilarity actually extends to the whole of the film, although after a fashion, it is used in order to present a number of comments. The way Mi-rae is trying, initially, to get an abortion, highlight the difficulties pregnant women who take this decision face in S. Korea, with the girl having to face the law, her boyfriend, and her family, essentially to a point that it is too late. At the same time, the issues this pregnancy causes for her, starting with her work, and continuing, again, with her boyfriend and the two families, stress the deadend a pregnancy can lead to, particularly when the couple involved are rather young, immature, and do not have the financial background to support a family of three. This last aspect creates an atmosphere that can be described as suffocating, particularly for the viewer who empathizes with both protagonists, which works, though, quite well for the narrative.

The role Mi-rae's friend plays, in a rather fitting performance by Yoo Yi-deun, seems to highlight friendship as the ultimate value, with her being the only source of constant support and understanding the protagonist receives. At the same time, she is the only one who seems to give her at least a kind of an answer, in the central question of the movie, of why someone should have children.

On the other hand, the way Mi-rae eventually changes her decision, is not as well communicated as the aforementioned elements, although one could interpret it under the prism of having no alternative and maturing through the struggle.

Choi Sung-eun gives an impressive performance in the central role, highlighting her naivety, immaturity, hopelessness and eventual resolve with equal artistry. Seo Young-joo is also quite good as Yoon-hoo, particularly in the way he portrays his own ignorance and immaturity, although in a much smaller role.

Namkoong Sun's own editing induces the movie with a relatively fast pace, that works quite well for the indie nature of the title, while occasionally her cuts become part of the humor through their abruptness. The cinematography includes some interesting frames, particularly during the visits to the doctors, but in general, simply focuses on realism without any kind of exaltation.

"Ten Months" is a very interesting and entertaining indie film that could also be perceived as a caution tale regarding youths deciding to have children, particularly when they have not thought it through beforehand.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

___________

"Ten Months" is directed by Namkoong Sun, and features Choi Sung-eun, Bek Hyunjin, Seo Young-joo, Go Young-chan, Kim Geun-young, Yoo Yi-deun. No release date in Korea yet.