KOREAN MOVIE REVIEW: GOLDEN SLUMBER


8/10

GOLDEN SLUMBER  is a Hitchcockian “wrong man” thriller with a large dose of melodrama added to the mix. 

Dong Won-Gang, a young delivery driver, becomes famous overnight when he saves a pop star from a robbery. But his fame is shortlived when he is accused of murdering a politician. Constantly on the run and no one to turn to there’s only one way out – to turn the table on his tormentors. But will he be able to stand by his ideals if he wants to beat the enemy at his own game?

GOLDEN SLUMBER starts with a bang, sending the protagonist on a wild chase across Seoul. The first action filled thirty minutes are entertaining as we watch our hero using his wits and intuition to get out from some impossible situations. As the mystery deepens and the conspiracy is explained the movie slows down a little, focusing on the relationship between the protagonist and his childhood friends who choose to support or abandon him, which is a source of many heart wrenching moments. 

It is the melodrama part that makes GOLDEN SLUMBER stand out from many other thrillers that focus on a wrongly accused hero. The puzzle of the conspiracy is also cleverly structured, giving a simple but believable explanation of the happenings.

A few important questions about the modern media world is explored. No direct answers are given, but the theme of remaining oneself and remaining human no matter the circumstances hits the mark.

Cleverly combining a top notch thriller with genuine drama and an unusual and very sympathetic protagonist, GOLDEN SLUMBER delivers on all fronts, with only its lengthy running time being a possible flaw.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KOREAN MOVIE REVIEW: MEMOIR OF A MURDERER

Image
8/10 Byung-su is an elderly veterinarian who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He has a caring daughter who does all she can to make his life easier, and a policemen friend whose name Byung-su forgets from time to time. He also goes to a poetry club (in order to keep his mind exercised) where a lonely widow makes advances at him. But there’s one thing that sets Byung-su apart from the other senior citizens of his little town – he is a serial killer.  When a new wave of killings begin Byung-su starts to suspect that a young man who is dating his daughter is the culprit. Trying to keep the remains of his memories together Byung-su writes extensive journals. But what if his memories are actually real? Losing his grip on reality he goes head to head with the new serial killer in order to protect the only life he cares about in the world – his daughter’s. Before Dexter came around Koreans had excelled in creating charismatic killers as protagonists of the f...
Read more

We'll End Up Together - Nous Finirons Ensemble (French Movie Review)

Image
10/10 Max has a sixtieth birthday coming up. The problem is he is broke, divorced and depressed. When a group of his best friends show up at his doorstep to help him celebrate, he reluctantly agrees to spend a few days with them, but won’t explain what’s going on in his personal life. When ones darkest moments come, will friendship conquer all? Seven years after the breakout success of the film Little White Lies (Les Petits Mouchoirs) comes the long anticipated sequel and it is worth the wait. The success of WE’LL END UP TOGETHER is not in its rather predictable plot, but the chemistry on screen, the characters that we recognise ourselves and our friends in, and the amazing warm atmosphere that makes one believe there’s no problem a good dinner with friends won’t sort out.  Written and directed by much loved French actor and director  Guillaume Canet this movie feels like a welcome return home to those who have seen the original and will also welcome new viewership - t...
Read more

MSFF: DEATH IN BUENOS AIRES (MUERTE EN BUENOS AIRES)

Image
3 1/2 /5 It's year 1980 and we are in Buenos Aires. The wealthy gay man is murdered  and inspector Chaves is on the case. In order to find the culprit he has to plunge into the world of gay nightclubs, drugs and sex. But what is it with the young and handsome officer Gomes, who was the first on the crime scene, and seems to place himself with ease as a mole into a gay community? Is he trying to catch the killer? Or hiding something? As suspicions arise, Chaves is haunted by the feelings he does not understand. Will the fatal attraction to a younger man help him to solve the case, or be his undoing? First time director Natalie Meta is "spot on" on the upbeat atmosphere of the 80s without too much expense. She cleverly uses the pop tunes, over-the-top clothes and many other ingredients to recreate the time. The murder mystery is secondary, and the movie is focused on the relationship between the two men, full of innuendoes and mistrust. The very simple cinema...
Read more