Breathless

Breathless is a bleak, relentless and emotionally raw movie from South Korea. An uncompromising look at the violent underbelly of a section of poverty ridden urban South Korea, Breathless is the directorial debut of lead man and scriptwriter Yang Ik-joon, and has rightly been bestowed with a healthy array of awards.

As the films pace allows layers to build and relationship dynamics to be understood and interwoven, nausea and discomfort evolves into empathy and worry, characters you are sure are irredeemable surprise you. The shaky documentary style photography adds to the grittiness and rawness.

Breathless is stark, dark and uncompromising. Well directed and with expertly judged emotional performances, this film has dared to expose the terrible unbreakable cycle of violence in an apparently progressive and evolved society. JM

Ik-Joon Yang is the director, writer, and main actor in this movie. He produced this movie using his private money.

The home of Yeon-Hue, the main actress, is Ik-Joon's renting house. After recording all scene in the house, he moved out from his home because his money run out and he needed his deposit in the house.

He spent his every money to this movie, and fortunately this movie hits the 5rd best in the Korea indie movie history. Many Japanese also watched this movie in the theater.

I really appreciate his marble art; Breathless and King of the pigs

For more information, please refer to this wiki. https://mirror.enha.kr/wiki/%EB%98%A5%ED%8C%8C%EB%A6%AC This is written in Korean but Google translator might help you.

Breathless will probably garner comparisons to early Scorsese, considering the subject matter. It is not that good, but neither is it that derivative. If anything, it favorably reminded me of the later TV work of Alan Clarke. Despite the summary above, it is not about characters seeking redemption, but family and solace from a cycle of criminal abuse fueled by misplaced ancestral reverence. Without giving away the end, it is more about insight gained by sacrifice that plays upon cyclical reincarnation themes than a solitary quest towards forgiveness.

The multi-talented Yang Ik-Joon does a great job portraying a man so damaged that he expresses affection for a child by repeatedly shoving his head and calling him a bastard. Whether you find it disturbing or funny, the gradual manner in which the characters' darker and more intimate aspects are revealed is excellent.

Instead of credulous explication, back-story or flashbacks, the relationships emerge out of frankly rude and often violent interactions which also advance the plot. I might have had a few gripes about the cinematography, especially in relation to scenes of violence. I kind of expected a bit more from Yang Ik-Joon in this regard. But for a film by an actor as first-time director/writer/editor/star, this is incredibly good.

Out of the ten or so films I have seen so far at this years Sydney Film Festival this one effected me the most. I shed a few tears by the films end and was thinking about it for days afterward.

It's a heck of a debut from Yang Ik Joon who wrote, directed, produced and takes the lead role as well.

Joon plays a small time hood/debt collector who doesn't mess about with customers who owe money. No one is safe it seems from his fists or his foul mouth, not even his nephew. A chance meeting with a high school student results in an unlikely friendship. We learn more about both characters as the film builds momentum. Suffice to say that their main link is both being exposed to domestic violence.

Joon fleshes out the story and gives all characters a chance to shine. The acting is first rate as is the screenplay which apparently is autobiographical.

Anyone easily upset by violence or profanity would be well advised to give this one a miss.

I hope it finds an audience and gets a wide release. I certainly look forward to more films in the future from this exciting young director/writer/actor.

Let me start by saying that this piece of art took me by surprise. I didn't feel that I was watching a movie, Instead the acting was so realistic that I felt I was part of it. Please watch this movie and feel the greatness of Asian Cinema. It is also a tearjerker!!!! This can be a very sad film as well. I doubt if I've ever watched this without a few tears in my eyes at certain points.

PS: I would like to recommend this to every movie buff who admire Asian Cinema.

"In this life, it's not what you hope for, it's not what you deserve -- it's what you take."

Thank you