Mi in

Despite a great amount of flesh being visible, consisting of plenty of nipples and backside, alongside several sex scenes, each one sizably different from the next as each character explores the others' body, La Belle is a film that could never be labelled as simply a soft porn feature, for there is a great amount of depth layered in the story.

From the beginning, the writer, portrayed by Oh Ji-Ho, explains to the audience, as he often does through the act of narration, how he is in the process of developing the beginning of a story, which leads us to contemplate the realism of the characters and the world we are introduced to: is is really happening, or is this the fantastical imagination of a poet, much of what we witness often justifying one plausible outcome while alienating another, and ultimately, it comes down to personal opinion.

Much of the film takes place in the writer's apartment, one of the only venues where he and the woman can spend time together, this location being the center of their universe, though the story does occasionally venture onto the streets of the metropolis, and onto a vacant beach. Despite the basic scenery, the serenading track of the piano provides the feature with a poignant score, while the use of sound, especially that which signals the return of the woman, brings the audience a sense of hope, as though perhaps on this occasion she will decide to stay.

The character of the writer is a deeply romantic individual, and it is a shame that much of the work he produces is only for the ear of the audience, rather than the woman who enters his life, and steals not only his attention, but his heart. We discover in one scene a subtle reference to the life the writer lives outside of his apartment, though the lackluster information towards this is obviously implemented to ensure we realize how dedicated he is to the woman, his entire life being indefinitely postponed.

Lee Ji-Hyeon portrays the young woman who appears at his door one day: a former flame, he too happily allows her access to his life, not knowing how long he will have the luxury of her company. She is immediately introduced as an outgoing and spontaneous person, whose complex ideas of romance have not been formed through art and literature, but through the experiences she has endured over time, that express the person she has become.

He on the other hand is more of an introvert, almost constantly seen with a book in his hand, or a piece of parchment, where he scrawls his thoughts. The commonality that exists between them is the selfishness they exhibit, both using the other for their own desirous intent. The romantic persona of his character, alongside the openness he conveys to her, make him a reliable person she can fall back on, and though she adamantly refuses to love him, she offers herself to him, expressing the gladness she feels when people genuinely enjoy her body.

The reason she cannot dedicate her heart to his however is constantly revealed by her returning to her past lover, despite the unhealthiness of the relationship bringing her much harm. Although her former lover has very little screen time, the impact of his presence is depicted through her cell phone: he calls, and she submits to his request, unable to refuse, in the hopes he may once more entirely accept her. Due to this, the writer sadly annotates how he is destined to always be a person waiting, as he watches the woman he cannot openly confess his feelings towards, continuously running back to her former flame, unhappily returning to his apartment every time, and just when he has pieced her happiness back together, she deserts him for her former paramour yet again.

Unfortunately, it is gradually revealed that neither character truly understands the other, both going out of their way to do things they believe will bring the other happiness, but, often, causes the opposite. Over time, her inability to devote her heart solely to his, causes tension to spill out, and the pent up anger that the man keeps to himself as he becomes more disillusioned, is uncontrollably revealed through the lack of communication he begins to exhibit, alongside the distance between them.

The story indicates over time the different definitions of happiness that people hold, and the sacrifices we are willing to make to ensure those we believe we love are capable of experiencing theirs. Not every moment of the film is visually pleasing, though La Belle does brilliantly articulate the senselessness of love, and the actions we commit in its name.

I find this interesting film to be quite sensuous and emotional. Unfortunately for many guys out there, it may be too much, especially if one is not in tune with their emotions.

The sex scenes were realistic but not profane. To call it pornography would be over the top. It is artsy.

The way the male character handles the unpredictable female lead is at best strenuous. He tries his best to make sense of their relationship, trying hard to settle her down by his side. His longing for her occupies his entire day's thoughts.

If one has fallen deeply in love before, one will understand much of the emotions of the guy. The female is at best surreal and ethereal to him. This frustrates him.

Overall, this is a nice movie to watch if you have the patience and the emotional capacity to comprehend the subtleties in the acting.

Unlike many viewers of this movie, I found far greater depth than it is credited with.

Let us go past the obvious, which is that the film is assuredly erotic.

Examine instead, the fact that in this, it is also beautiful and intense. Mi in is a bath of sensuality we are submerged in by the director.

The point that is missed regarding this film is that it is surreal. I assume it was intended to be so. When viewed as surrealism, it reaches an entirely different level.

We do not know at any point if the story is a figment of the vivid imagination of the male character, a writer, or if it is really happening. We might hope it is imagination at work, because the final scene before the closing of the film is so heart wrenchingly tragic.

In this scene, he has set himself free from one demon, only to inherit another. Released from the physical body of the woman over whom he obsesses, and who has tormented him in every moment of his days, he must then live with interminable guilt and grief.

It was impossible for me to disengage myself from the film once it had grasped me, which it did in a very subtle way. By the final few scenes I was emotionally involved with the characters. The woman, while also pitying and understanding her, put me off. In the end she did not have my sympathy as deeply as the writer, who was impaled on this fruitless love, and held prisoner by obsession, whereas she was deliberately using him in a cold hearted way, while she was as obsessed and impaled as he, on an abusive relationship, and self-destructive course of her own. Many times she expresses the wish to die. To be dead. To be set free from her pain.

She is at times obviously mentally unbalanced, drunk, or hysterical, and yet deliberate in her actions. She lies with equanimity, flirts and seduces without conscience.

It must be stated here that the subtitles were moronic, ghastly, and unforgivable. This factor leads to unnecessary confusion. If one were able to understand Korean, the original language of the film, our experience of this tale would have been entirely different.

When viewed through the intellect first, without expectation, but with an open mind to the surreal, this becomes a little gem in it's own right. It goes without saying that it is a most beautiful film physically. The players are both exceptionally good-looking people. Both have very beautiful bodies. They are agile and graceful, and totally believable in the love scenes.

Since this story is presented as narrative frequently, using the voice-over technique, it must be remarked that Mr. Oh has a very pleasant mature speaking voice that brings enjoyment to the ear, while giving us a fine clue regarding the nature of the character.

The director did certain things with the sound track, other than supplying us with a remarkable musical background that incidentally stands high on my list of favored film scores. It is exquisite.

The very sound of the film otherwise--the clattering departures of the woman, her slamming of the door, her frequent shrillness, her noisy occupation of another's space, is jarring. All this, opposed to the introspective silence of the writer, is calculated and clever, simply because it works on the subconscious, and tells us so much about the characters, without saying a word.

If we look at the visual aspects without the sensuality, without the sex, we see a man with beautiful gentle hands tenderly nurturing a plant. A subtle, sensitive, poignant view into the inner heart, as well as the physical self. He lives in serene simplicity.

For a movie that was not well received by the Korean public when it was released in theatres there, it has certainly enjoyed longevity as a DVD. It is still in print, and sells for a hefty twenty plus US dollars on the Asian market.

I've seen comments elsewhere regarding the performance of Oh Ji Ho, in that it is not top rate. I would therefore like to point out that this film is his debut effort, having come from a career as a successful model.He was also quite young when he made the film. He was born in 1976.

Were this film to be made now, as he approaches the age of thirty, I feel the role would have been handled far better. He would have been more credible. The character he plays is older, mature, a professional writer of some standing. The interior struggle of the man needed clarification, which would have come from clear translation (good subtitles). We did not have that. Therefore we can't judge Mr. Oh's interpretation of the role very fairly.

If it were not for the subtitles, I would have rated it as a 10, simply because it is a daring plunge into a convoluted tale by a master director who was willing it seems, to take a chance, to present a puzzle that requires the thought process. A little much to ask of the average viewer going to see a film presented as erotic, and perceived as soft-core pornography.

There is a great difference between the utter stupidity of soft-core/hard-core pornography, which relies on the display of sexual behavior in greater or lesser degree, sans art, sans viable plot, sans any modicum of sensitivity, and any trace of the difficulty presented to the human race in the course of an agonizingly debilitating relationship based on sexual obsession and unrequited love, that can only end bitterly, leaving the dust of shattered, pulverized souls behind it.

It's a fine art film that happens also to be an elegant piece of erotica.

How one can be so obsessed with another person that they won't be able to see anything else is so astonishing. When both the main characters are going through this phase without realising what they are becoming and doing to the other it turns into a poetic expression of the dark side of love. Few words and exploration of body through a continuous chain of emotional abuse unbeknownst to themselves the characters are pushed into a circle of pain. With a bit more focus on how the movie had to be moved this could have been a masterpiece but it often falters due to which for some it may look like another softcore film that tries to look artsy.

When I was watching the Trailer of the movie 'Mi in/La Belle' and I must admit that I didn't expect much of it. I just gave it a chance to watch it though and it ended up in quite a good story.

I never expected a movie like this to be that good which is only based on 2 actors. The Guy that's a soft boring guy and a woman that's trying to be confident and sure about herself while she's totally not confident.

It's a beautiful story what the producer is trying to show to us. It's sometimes quite hard to understand what he really wants to show to us, but the story is mostly understandable if you keep watching it without any influence of friends or alcohol.

The producer made here a good story which is focused on the guy's thoughts.It's a surprisingly good movie and is absolutely worth to watch. He really deserves a big 7/10