I caught this movie on a recent flight. I was looking for an entertaining foreign film. Citizen of a Kind, based on a true story, is just what the doctor ordered.
The movie follows an unlikely protagonist: a single mother who is the victim of a phishing scheme. She resorts to taking out a loan after her house catches on fire. But after she is scammed, she truly loses everything, including custody of her beloved children. She is Korean (and is thus in Korea at the beginning of the movie) but the people who steal from her are in China. The young man responsible for stealing from her, who is being held at the phishing center against his will, has pity on her and helps provide her with information regarding the location of the center so that she can come in person and claim revenge, thus helping to free him as well. But busting a criminal underground operation isn't as easy as just calling the cops on them. Especially considering the language barrier and the fact that the protagonist is not Chinese herself.
While perhaps I cannot relate to the circumstances the protagonist finds herself in, I certainly can empathize. This is a great idea for a movie and is very well-executed and tasteful. Although some of the humor is lost on me (perhaps because of cultural differences) I really enjoyed watching the characters interact with each other and the world around them.
The pacing and overall writing are great. The acting is spot on. The use of music is appropriate and not too self-gratuitous. I really appreciate how the filmmakers highlight and even poke fun at the language barrier between the people of the two countries, but at the end show them working together in spite of it.
I have no genuine complaints about this movie. I am sad to see it has not received more praise. It is refreshing to see a movie with an everyday person as a protagonist tackling head-on an everyday problem that affects many. It's also refreshing to see a movie centered around a group of women with no unnecessary cliché romantic sub-plots. Last but not least, the fact that this is a true story is inspiring and moving. While it perhaps isn't particularly groundbreaking or as flashy as other Korean films out there, I would certainly be interested in seeing more from this director.
