The Show Must Go On (우아한 세계) written and directed by Han Jae-rim (한재림) 2006
20 August 2007Song Kang-ho’s (송강호) next film after the Host was a must see, and this is quite an enjoyable film. At first I didn’t think it was much of a stretch for him character wise, but this is an enjoyable gangster film, that shows the hard life of a gangster and it’s affect on his life of the family. My only complaint is much of this film is handheld, and I am getting really sick of the shaky cam style, but it doesn’t detract from how good of a film that this is. A really good and enjoyable film, well directed and incredibly well acted.
Song Kang-ho (ì¡ê°í¸) is Kang In Gu a low level gangster, loyal to his boss, who forces a construction guy to sign a contract giving his gang the rights of the construction, thereby pissing off the bosses [Choi Il-hwa (최일화)í)] younger brother [Yoon Je-moon (윤제문))], and making problems for his own. His brother [ Oh Dal-soo (오달수)] is in the rival gang he stole from. In Gu’s daughter [Kim So-eun (김소은) Kim So-eun (김소은)] is scared of him and his wife [Park Ji-yeong (박지영)] is considering divorce, and yet he does everything for his family, even putting all of his money into a new house, as his current place has badly running water and isn’t very nice.
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…
In Gu has major problems at the construction site, and then 2 men try and kill him, and he is arrested for the accident that is caused, making his wife leave with the daughter, even though In Gu is paying for their son to be in school in Canada.
In Gu finds out that it was his bosses brother that sent the men to kill him, and he attacks him, and gets in trouble with his boss. To satisfy his wife, In Gu wants to get out, and goes to his bosses brother in the hospital to make good, and try to get one business so he can have money for his family, but the brother stabs him and kidnaps him, with his men right on his trail. He tries to make a deal with his boss to get out by giving the brother, but his brother’s men find him and give chase, and they have a major car wreck, and the brother was in the trunk and is killed. In Gu gets away, but the brother is dead, and the boss then pulls a shotgun and shoots In Gu in the leg, so In Gu fights and shoots the boss, and is arrested and sent to prison. He makes a deal with his brother to get money and join his gang so his son can stay in school and his daughter can go to, and gets out on self defense on the boss and an accident with the brother.
His family “stays” with him, but his wife goes with the daughter, so he is left alone. He is making money and in a new gang, but his family is away, and only talking to him through video tapes they send him. He has a sad, sad life.
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A very good film. Great performances and so well done. A great film. Well worth checking out.
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