✂From the start, TB cuts right to it. We cut from an elderly man cutting his last character in a wood tablet, to his gravesite where they discuss how finding the man's estranged family might be a challenge (while the digger is cutting into the earth), to a college prof (Bro #1) explaining that the independence movement was actually started in order to find two golden Buddha☸statues worth billions of won ("That's🇰🇷patriotism!"), while he's cutting off the students' Q&A time, to a group of planners who are looking for a better, more economical way to build a highway after a collapse, while they cut apart their employee (Bro #2) because he has respect for family ⚖rights & 🎑rites - who cares about the family that owns the land that we need? Why haven't you already suggested taking the land if it saves us 💰billions💰? If you can't explain yourself, Lee Joo Bong, you're fired! Those are the legs of the memorial table that is this movie. Big bro, Lee Seok Bong (he's both older and bigger) bought expensive equipment for Buddha-treasure hunting that he can't use, right now, because war has broken out where he believes the treasure is. Little bro is not only in danger of being fired but also being investigated at work for potential crimes because he didn't propose attempting to take private land from a family in order to build the highway. They're both on the highway to trouble, and they also find themselves on the highway headed to their father's memorial.
These bros come from a buddhist family steeped in their own history. They trace their roots to the Joseon Era and they revel in it. 🎎 Historic garb is mandatory for important occasions (I'll NEVER do that!, younger bro, Lee Joo Bong, insists... Who wants to put $ on that?). They adhere to old customs including mistreatment of women, particularly daughter I/Ls. Failing to actually follow the elevated teachings of Buddha, the family is horrible: The oldest, Lee Seok Bong, says his childhood dream was to become an orphan. He later rebels by going to church. Having grown up churchy while watching many kids rebel to become many things, including Buddhists, it makes me chuckle to see this happening from the opposite angle. When it comes to faith, nobody does it perfectly. That's the point. We have to work at these things. Work doesn't mean the external - sitting in a pew, or temple, or saying template prayers; the real work is internal and involves the heart. A handful of weird exceptions aside, there is no belief system on earth that will waive a magic wand and "fix" a person on the spot: You'll not find any group religious, political, or fraternal, where everyone has their act together. It's always a journey, and if we don't walk that journey with humility, we will never stay on the right path. These bros belong to a family that is excessively proud of their institutionalized pride. They don't do humility. That's why their behavior is loathsome.
Our bros got on the wrong path. On the way to the homestead they are talking (not necessarily looking ahead) when the car goes "THUD!" They hit something. They never saw it, but they hit /something/. A quick survey reveals a woman lying in the tall grass. She's breathing, but the ambulance won't get there for hours, they're told, so they decide to take her to the 🏥 themselves. When she wakes up they can see this is no normal person. Did she injure her head in the impact, or was she always looney? This chick gets weirder and weirder, and then she gets outrageous.
The cast is quite good. Ma Dong Seok is big bro, Lee Seok Bong. He has gravitas - hahaha - he's a big man with fantastic presence (he's actually American - represent, 🇺🇸!). Though on the side, his is the character that impressed me the most in Train To Busan-7.8. I have a predilection for teddy bears, so that might be why, but I think there's more to it that that. He has a likable air about him as well as good comedic timing, Lee Dong Hwi is Lee Joo Bong and plays the nervous dweeb well. Lee Ha Nee Aurora must play a somewhat crazy Amnesia victim. She's excellent.
The theme of this film is: Family - Thick and Thin + Legacy. The way we remember our parents may not be 💯% accurate. Most of us have no understanding of their struggles. A family's history is important and it's certainly interesting, but what's most important is the people. If family traditions are making the family miserable, then it might be time for a rehaul. There are many who don't know their family tree. That makes them no less significant and no less deserving of respect. Never forget, scientists and theologians agree: We came from one woman. We are all one family.
TB is 102 minutes and is rated 7.6 on AWiki, so it has been well received. (I find Korean movies are often a little better than their IMDB ratings indicate). Not every attempt works, but TB hits the 😅button plenty. It's an amusing film, and the ending is rather touching. It won't end up where you think it will half way thru, nor will it end up the way it looks at the 90% mark. It finishes stronger than it starts, which is impressive. It's most difficult to stick the landing, and they super-glue it better than mom's orchid pot. So ^before^ you grab any ^hoes^ and rummage for 🗿treasure, pay respects to The ^Bros^ for some light clean fun done right.
〰🖍 IMHO
📣7.5 📝7 🎭75 💓5🦋4 🌞6.5 🎨6.8⚡4.5 🎵/🔊6 😅5 😭3 😱3 😯3 🤔4 💤0 🔚8.8
Age + R rated language; no F💣s
Re-📺? If someone put it on I wouldn't complain.
In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~, you may also like:
Mad For Each Other ~ silly fun
My Secret Romance 7 (too many flashbacks just ff thru them),
Start-up 7.5,
Her Private Life 8,
A Witch's love 7.8,
love to hate you 8.9
Touch your heart 8.2,
Romance is a bonus book 7.9,
Boys Over Flowers 8,
Crash Landing On You 9.1,
Oh My Ghost 10,
It's okay not to be okay 9,
Love Struck in the city 7.3,
Hospital Playlist 9,
My Mister 9,
More than friends 8,
I'll see you when the weather is fine 9,
Something in the Rain 9
If you want some fun in old Joseon, check out My Only Love Song(9), Mr. Queen(8.5), and My Sassy Girl(8.5).
