Cuide do Meu Gato

'Take Care of My Cat' is a thoughtful, sensitive and perceptive look at the lives of a group of young Koreans living in Inchon (Seoul's port city) as they undergo the difficult transition from students to workers. The characters of the different girls, and the changing interactions between them, are depicted with considerable skill and subtlety, as the film observes how the proliferation of mobile phones in society has not necessarily eliminated loneliness, and explores the (neo-Loachian) idea of the difficulty in maintaining relationships that straddle class boundaries. For a European, the film also provides an interesting portrait of contemporary Korea; awash with modern technology, but nonetheless still suffering from a relatively impoverished urban environment. The details are convincing and fascinating; the themes universal and profound, yet the film makes its points lightly and with grace. The result is genuinely moving experience. Definitely recommended.

This fairly low-key drama that follows the lives of a group of young girls after they graduate from high school is well-crafted and affecting. The IMDB stats confirm what is only to be expected: namely that you will especially love this film if you're a twenty-something female.

Incidentally, the average standard of Korean film amazingly high. My own policy is that any time I get the chance to see a Korean film, I do so. Regardless of whether it is a thriller or a comedy or a drama, I'm rarely disappointed - what is on offer is often excellent, and scarcely ever less than okay.

This movie works on two levels, basically the story that happens and also as a subtle progressive social commentary about the state of korea and how women are somewhat confined and the "minor" injustices they face all the time. I wouldn't go so far as to call it feminist because what alot of the movie is dealing with is just the basic struggle for existence, and how each of the girls can fit into the world somehow.

The story at first begins somewhat boring as its unclear what the purposes of the movie are, but around 20 minutes into the movie when Hye-ju rejects JiYoung's gift of the cat, and then later fails to meet her on time at a restaurant, it is clear that the movie is finally starting to move with its plot in some noticeable direction. And the way it does so is very smooth and well directed you slowly become immersed in the intricate details of thier world, which is a fundamental quality of a of a good movie. As a drama, it does its job of immersing the viewer in the emotions of its characters. I think it is a definitely progressive style drama as many other coming of age styled dramas are, and is enjoyable to watch throughout because you are always getting a realistic look at modern korean life as the story moves.

Worth watching!

I was very impressed by this upon first viewing, a couple years ago, and boy does it hold up with the passage of time. This was Jeong's debut and it will be interesting to see what she comes up with next.

In this coming-of-age story set in a group of young women in a rather bleak and industrial Inchon, S Korea, Jeong doesn't attempt to duplicate the lushness of Naruse or the extraordinary technique of Ozu, but there's an elegance that recalls both - a real ability to look straight into the many subtle slights these women endure, along with the many moments of joy they create, and discover profundity in the everyday. The basic mechanics of the story seem (at first) simple, and the film seems very ethereal for the first 20 minutes or so, but it does coalesce into something quite memorable - the slow tempo and loping narrative makes it easy to overlook the subtle defiance and independence of spirit (and the quick moments of odd, deadpan humor) to be found underneath it all. In both look and feel, Jeong's work is of a piece with certain other leading figures in the current Asian cinematic new wave, and like the best examples of that new wave, Jeong creates a memorable style of her own.

Sweet but not sappy, occasionally tragic without sliding into gross manipulations - a film of great power. The Kino DVD looks great, no extras however.

For me, "Take Care of My Cat" was one of 2003's overlooked treasures.

Low-key in plot and imbued with tone, this debut feature by Jae-eun Jeong focuses on a transitional moment in the lives of a group of 5 female friends drifting apart because of jobs, because of boys, because of familial duties.

There's a warmth and intimacy to this film that is similar in many ways to "Lost In Translation," another film of female transition. "Take Care of My Cat" succeeds through beautifully fluid and feline cinematography and lived-in performances by the five superb young actresses.

There's something special happening in Korean cinema as of late, with such recent masterpieces as "Oasis" waiting to be discovered by the world at large. Alongside Lynn Ramsay's "Ratcatcher" and Sophia Coppolla;s "Virgin Suicides," this may be my favorite debut by a female film-maker.

A