Mother (2009)

Director Bong Joon-Ho delivers this stunning neo-noir thriller which is full of everything you can expect from the masterful director. With characters which are clearly established and slowly developed as the plot moves forward, this allows the characters to subtly shift as the story unfolds and makes every twist and turn even more impactful. This strong impact is further improved by the astonishing performances which allows every character to feel more grounded, resulting in greater investment from the audience which only strengthens every scene and development. Bong Joon-Ho utilises purposeful cinematography to create truly breathtaking shots typical of his previous work in Memories for Murder, and similarly utilising these techniques to build tension and create mesmerising shots which truly invest you in every scene. Giving the whole film a dark vibe that allows the film to still maintain a unique feel despite the heavy inspiration from Bong Joon-Ho's previous work. Making this film an absolute must watch for any fan of Bong Joon-Ho's work or simply if you are looking for a devastating thriller to truly shock you. This twisting and complex story follows a woman simply known as Mother (Kim Hye-ja), who is extremely protective over her intellectually disabled son Yoon Do-joon (Won Bin) as she attempts to care for him whilst making a living for the two of them. However, everything shifts when a local girl is murdered and Yoon Do-joon is accused of the murder. What follows is Mother attempting to find the true killer in order to prove her son’s innocence, which is a twisting story of discovery that will certainly have you on the edge of your seat

James Patt