AKA: This Man / Ahjussi
Genre: Action, Drama
Origin: Korea
Release date: 04 August 2010
Cast: Won Bin, Kim Sae Ron, Kim Tae Hoon, Kim Hee Won and Kim Seong Oh..
This story is about a man who had lost everything in his life and lives just every day at a time.
Cha Tae Shik (Won Bin) a former cop owns a pawnshop in a rough neighborhood. Everyday a little girl Soo Mi (Kim Sae Ron), visits him, because she doesn’t like to be home with her junkie mother, who works at night as a stripper and would do anything for money. The two find a mutual understanding: she is the person helping him to stay sane and he treats her as a human being not as garbage.
When her mother gets involved with stolen drugs, Soo Mi and her mother are grabbed by gangsters, who start knocking at Tae Shiks door. At first he thinks it’s a robbery, but shortly after he realizes that they have Soo Mi.
The gangsters run away after finding out that he is ‘a crazy dude’ who beats the shit our of a huge guy they had brought as a bodyguard, but this only makes Tae Shik run after them. This starts the war between a man who has nothing to lose and the underground Korean mob organization.
I stumbled across this movie by accident to be honest, but I remember that it was extremely popular some time back: fans going crazy when Won Bin and Kim Sae Ron came together to the award thingi. Big deal. The main reason for me to watch this was because of the fuss made around Won Bin. Apparently he was a big shot, but I never saw anything of his works, so I had to watch something. The fact that it was one of his most popular ones was not intentional :P And honestly, I get it. He is fine. Loads of mucsles, talent actor, and one good looking fella, A+++!
The movie is not that bad at all. I have to admit, very well executed and amazing cast. Lol, but seriously the one shocking me the most was Kim Seong Oh, the younger brother. My first time watching him was in Secret Garden as this goofy secretary, then suddenly serial killer guy in SIGN followed by a sicko in The Man From Nowhere. I have fallen.. For him..
Okay, back to the movie. Its good, somehow recommendable, I just am not a fan of gangster movies, and the reason it’s not a 5 star, it’s just that this guy played by Won Bin is actually willing to do crazy things for this little girl, but we just don’t get that much ‘connecting’ with them, well not enough considering he declares war against an entire mob family / organization.
☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars
♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts
Jenji's verdict
First of all, this movie is for those who love blood splattering with great exaggeration! Its one of those real, guy movies?. I mean I like gangster fight movies but then again, Im not a fan of body parts being taken out of bodies and put in a truck, nor eyes being taken out of people and played with. The movie itself is not bad, at all, and the actors, wow, about the younger brother, the secretary from Secret Garden, I was trying to convince myself that it isnt the same guy because dayyummmm,, what a difference, he's a really great actor, and Won Bin, wow, I had no idea,, this guy, I dont think Ive ever watched any of his movies before and I didnt realise it was him at first. But Im impressed, really. Its a really sick movie, hahah, not necessarily bad-sick, but just sick people who do sick things like use kids for drug dealing. But then again it seems a bit like its just a movie for its sickness and not for the focus on child workers for drug.. which I wasnt a fan of.
☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars
♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts
1 comment:
I agree great movie (now hollywood wants to remake it). The connection between Tae Shik and Soo Mi is subtle but profound. The smile(after likely not smiling for years) in reaction to the finger nail painting is movie/story telling genius. I think those that watch this movie should understand his motivation for saving this little girl. The constant tragic flashbacks serve not only to provide a history and a reason as to why he became the person we see in the movie, but also his slow reintegration and acceptance of himself into humanity. The correlation between his failure to save his own wife and child and saving Soo Mi is evident and certainly more than enough motiviation for any "good" man as capable (former assassin/special agent) as Tae Shik.
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