An uneven film that drags Cast: Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, IU, Lee Joo-young, Park Ji-yong, Lim Seung-soo, Lee Mu-saeng Rat...
An uneven film that drags
Cast:
Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, IU, Lee Joo-young, Park Ji-yong, Lim
Seung-soo, Lee Mu-saeng
Rating:
3/5
Hirokazu
Kore-eda has always been known for his realistic dramas and this is no
different; Broker feels authentic and something which we haven’t seen before,
but it doesn’t find its correct pacing until the third act. The second act
feels really boring which would make any viewer zone out for about half an
hour, but the third act makes up for it with an incredible and heart-touching
finale. The film is consistent in tonality, but isn’t as heart-wrenching as the
likes of Xavier Dolan’s Mommy or Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale.
Sang-hyeon
is the owner of a launderette and a volunteer at the nearby church, where his
friend Dong-soo works. The two run an illegal business together: Sang-hyeon
occasionally steals babies from the church’s baby box with the help of
Dong-soo, who deletes the church’s CCTV footage that shows a baby was left
there, and they sell them on the adoption black market. But when a young
mother, So-young, comes back after having abandoned her baby, she discovers
them and decides to go with them on a road trip to interview the baby’s
potential infertile parents. Meanwhile, two detectives, Soo-jin and Detective
Lee, are hot on their trail
The
direction is good but is uneven in places, making this Kore-eda’s weakest film to
date. The cinematography is excellent, making each shot look like a painting.
The music is gentle and atmospheric. The performances are excellent all around
with Song Kang-ho being the highlight alongside IU.
Broker
isn’t a great film by any means that people would’ve liked it to be, but it
isn’t a bad one either. It does deserve a watch and your full attention.
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