The Girl on a Bulldozer

Kim Hye Yoon delivers yet another nuanced and dazzling performance as the lead protagonist in The Girl on a Bulldozer. A slow burner which fully comes to life in the capable hands of Hye Yoon and a strong supporting cast. Frustrated naysayers may have been expecting an action film, this is not it..it is so much more. The Girl on a Bulldozer is a fascinating character study regarding the choices that we make when life comes at us hard.

If you're a fan of Kim Hye-yoon, you may not recognize her in this film. She went from a bubbly k-drama girl to a all-tat up street tough delinquent. Her performance was top notched and pulled off the character flawlessly.

However, the film itself was more or less average. It keeps you mildly entertained but the subject matter has all become too cliche. Much like Parasite, it is another look at the social issues plaguing South Korea as the wealth gap extends between the super wealthy and the common folks. It even dabbles into the evil politicians and their greed.

Though such messages are good constant reminders, but they prove very little to offer any solution or resolves. In the final end, one can probably guess how it will go with the film's title itself.

What I find lacking in comparison to Parasite is that it is completely devoid of comedic elements, which Koreans are known for. The film from the start was serious and through the whole time, again and again, the protagonist just took the abuse of the upper class without giving the audience that Michael Douglas' Falling Down satisfaction.

The mystery of the story is also quite convoluted with many unrelated elements and parts that made it a bit confusing. I think certain elements could be eliminated to make the overall story flow a lot better. When we reached the end, it is easily to see the final main plot line and then you can see what I mean about unnecessary elements that could've been eliminated.

Overall a good one time watch, but it really didn't incite an emotional response from me.

5/10.

Top-tier acting. Kim Hye Yoon nailed this character so much so that you can feel every pain her character feels. The inner turmoil, the struggles, the anger outbursts, and the emotional breakdown. She deserved the award she got for this movie. No one can question that.

Others may think there are a lot of unnecessary scenes for the plot, however I beg to disagree. The scenes were there to make us, viewers, know about Hye Yeong's background and what was behind her actions and feelings. They were to make you understand and feel her pain, regrets, and love. I don't think we should omit some scenes.

Sometimes a films lead character has to be able to hold a realistic persona. She has the ability to make it so believable and only special people have this ability.