A Menina do Guarda-Volume

I found this movie to be a bit violent (which I normally skip) but the characters so well thought & played, I didn't want to miss a minute. The cast is very good especially Go-eun Kim who was perfect in the role of the Coin Locker Girl. I really found an attachment which may be positive or negative to all the characters. That by itself drew me further into the story. I got a bit emotionally involved a few times. This movie does get slow at a few parts but I was kept focused as those parts always were on the character's story being told. If you can take a bit of blood & violence you will enjoy this movie as well. Its really more than a drama or thriller. Its a character study and their relationships between them all. I would have given it more than 8 stars but it was a little too sad in parts for myself.

Wow... This was so close to being a great film. The first two thirds are riveting, as we follow the life of a young woman raised in a terrible world of violent crime. It builds nicely, until the final third, when the story loses all momentum and tension. The director allows the movie to slow to a crawl... ponderously marching to an almost inevitable conclusion. The pace evaporates. The plots becomes predictable. The mood becomes even more dour. If the final 30 minutes had built to a crescendo, "Coin Locker Girl" would have been a 9 or a 10. As it stands, it is a good movie... nothing more.

Although this is not horror, I saw this film during a horror festival. Their idea was to introduce "horror" that was more related to crime/violence, rather than real horror. Was it a success? Yes. I usually lack words to describe what I like about films, especially when I really like them. I wanted this film to be good but I thought it would end up being a normal film - I was wrong. The acting was really good (from main to secondary characters), the crudeness of a life of crime was very clear, the confusion of the main character when facing a clarity that wasn't there before was heartbreaking and your heart will shrink and shrink an shrink as the story goes on. This is not a pretty story and it's not embellished. This is about a girl who was brought to a life of crime, dealing with lack of love and working to survive. It's a film about a human being that is trying to find her spot in this world of horror - horror done simply by people who are just evil.

As a last note, I would also like to add, since this is a Korean film, I was worried my friends wouldn't enjoy it (since a lot of times cultural differences are plastered in the films but unless you understand those differences you won't be truly able to appreciate the work before you), but they actually did. If you want to introduce yourself to Korean films (and if you like action and violence), this is a really good film. If you know something about Korean culture it won't hurt, but if you don't you won't find yourself lost in translation. Totally recommend watching this.

Kim Go-eun plays Ma Il-young who as a baby was left in a coin locker at a train station and found by vagrants who look after her. As a child she is taken by a corrupt police officer to Ma Woo-hee played by Kim Hyo-seo to pay of his gambling debt. Woo-hee is also called Mother by the people who work for her as she has taken them all in, although the moneylending business she runs is also in the trade of organ harvesting when people cannot pay. Go-eun happily carries out her violent roll in this set up until she meets Park Seok-hyun played by Park Bo-gum and instead of dealing with him develops feelings for him. Then the situation spirals out of control with friend fighting friend in a bloody, violent climax. It is quite violent and dark and once it starts doesn't let up but excellent drama about a desperately sad underbelly of people.

Being a big fan of Asian cinema, I did of course jump at the chance to watch "Coin Locker Girl" (aka "Cha-i-na-ta-un") when I was given the chance. Especially so since the South Korean cinema tends to pump out some really interesting and entertaining movies.

"Coin Locker Girl" was no different. This was definitely entertainment of the higher end. Not just because it is a South Korean movie, but because of the storyline, the pacing of the movie, and some very interesting and in-depth characters that you immediately took a liking or disliking to.

This particular movie has a lot to offer the audience, ranging from some very interesting character development and growth, to action and brutal violence, and also to the more subtle drama and superbly acted out portrayal of the characters.

Go-eun Kim, playing Il-Young, really carried the movie phenomenally with her performance. As did Hye-su Kim, playing Mom. It was a shame that the mom character didn't have more on-screen time, because I felt that her story was not even half-way presented throughout the movie.

Even if you are not a particular fan of the South Korean cinema, then "Coin Locker Girl" is the type of movie that you should take the time to sit down and watch.