Dull and unpleasant

It's basically a 2 hour emotional meltdown. That's not to say it's not good because it does feature some great acting. However, the drawn out suffering of one woman ultimately makes you feel like a sadistic voyeur. Everything about this is an example of the tearjerking dramas Korean film is famous for. Even the title is sort of ironic. It's not a total tears fest there are funny moments. But the events feel engineered which despite the commendable acting makes it appear disingenuous at times.

It felt like someone running down a checklist of various reactions to grief, predictable, no real insight. I didn't think Jeon 's performance was that great, despite all the accolades. She does have her moments but other times I cringed. I did like the relationship with the eager mechanic and also the teenage girl. And I liked how even-handed Lee is in his approach to religion, and how the film spends some time with that subject and then moves on. But mostly my reaction was merely lukewarm.

A remarkable film about a woman's journey from isolation and abstraction to a more connected and human existence. Lee uses melodrama beautifully, the shifting tones balancing perfectly on one another. His portrayal of religion is one of the fairest charitably rendered in recent memory, the film illustrating its interest in every significant character. The two leads are especially good, and while Jeon has gotten the accolades, it's the tender and comic performance from Song that endures for me.

"Lee has a rare gift for depicting how the minor dissonance of everyday interactions eventually explodes into public displays of rage and despair." - Kevin B. Lee

This movie wouldn't work without Do-yeon Jeon's incredible performance. I look at her face and I'm just instantly sucked into whatever her character is doing or feeling at that moment.

One of the most amazing performances I've ever seen in a great film that will likely be regarded as a classic if it finds an audience. Chang-dong Lee could be South Korea's Bergman if he continues in this vein and perfects his craft.

08 Nisan 08,16:00,emek sira5 koltuk3 with serkan abi, 27.ist. film fest.&once kocasini kaybeden ve ogluyla yeni bir baslangic icin cabalayan bir kadinin bu alisma suresi icindeyken oglunu tum parasini kaybetmesini ve ardindan yasadigi duygusal bunalimini anlatiyor.bir sure icin tanri'ya siginiyor ve eskiden inanmayan "sin-ae", dindar oluyor.arindan oglunun katilinin, "allah beni affetti" sozleri uzerine kadin allaha da siginmamayi seciyor ve tum dunyaya karsi tek basina kaliyor."goruyor musun?"

This movie describes the life of a Sin-ae who is struck by tragic event and how she lives her life coping with these events. The acting by Do-yeon Jeon is amazing portraying the bereaved woman. Kang-ho Song plays the role of a person trying to get a place in the heart of Sin-ae. This movie is great except for a big part of the movie which shows the grieving part of the woman to be part preaching Christianity. I would have rated this movie higher if not for that.

It's pretty hard to watch the emotional collapse of the grieving main character. Drama with a capital D. Good performances all-over, but pretty draining.