Korean culture has a lot of built in cultural and identity angst. It has always come out in film but in this it's lives caught up in the banal everyday meaningless abuse, neglect, and alienation instead of fatuous historical or abstract existential reasons. The suffering here all originates from the family which is not unlike most characters in Korean films. The rage and helplessness of the people involved is nicely depicted with great acting.

I can see why people loved this - the violence and intensity of the performances alone give it an impact and a sensory level which few films are able to achieve. Maybe it's because I've seen too many Asian gangster films, or maybe because the main characters were simply outside the realms of credibility, but it wasn't for me. The director/star could be one to watch, but he needs to step away from genre clichés.

The many scenes of protracted violence ended up becoming monotonous (a point, perhaps) but nevermind, because the script and the acting is top-notch. A very good film.

The visceral debut from Yang Ik-Joon makes a strong statement on domestic violence and the different ways it affects the lives of people in all walks of life. Shot extensively with hand-held cameras and full of brilliant performances (including Ik-Joon himself), Breathless somehow manages to be a very graceful film despite its permeating grittiness and brutality. Its social commentary is pitch perfect, never becoming trite or preachy. One of 2009's must-see films.