The second film that I watched last night was "3-Iron" a Korean film directed by Kim Ki-duk. This film was actually one of the five Asian films that I received as a Christmas present from a fellow cinephile and potential cinematic soul mate. It's so weird. I think I may have finally found my match. We have the same taste in film pretty much and I'm sure the films we recommend to each other will be liked by each other. It feels so incredibly refreshing to have someone who gets film just as much as I do and has a passion and love for it. Too bad he lives in Austria! It would be awesome to dissect film with him and watch them. I never had that with anyone! Even though my friends would watch movies with me, they could never keep up with me. I can literally sit and watch movies all day and make a movie day out of it. Most people that I tried to do that with in the past would only make it through two films, if that, and they get bored or tired. It's frustrating to know that I've finally met my match and he's in another bloody country!! Thanks Facebook.
Simply put 3-Iron is an amazing film. Words can't begin to describe the many different emotions I experienced while I was watching this. I've never seen anything like it before and I was very intrigued. I was utterly speechless by the end of it and when a film does that to me, I want to cry. The film stars Jae Hee and Lee Seung-yeon turning in masterful performances without saying a fucking word! I'm so in awe of these actors I can't tell you. Never have I been so moved by silence and what isn't said. The film is about a melancholy loner who rides his motorbike putting take out menus on doors. If the take out menu remains on the door he assumes the person is not there and he breaks in. He doesn't steal anything, he just makes himself at home and he fixes broken items, does their laundry, cooks and by the next day he's gone before anyone realizes he's there. He breaks into one house not realizing that a battered wife is still in there and she watches him do everything in her house. They finally meet and they go on a silent journey together. Breaking into homes and falling in love.
The fact that these two never say a word to each other is absolutely mesmerizing and they don't have to say anything. Their expressions say it all. The only talking you hear are that from the outside world and that says a lot about this film. These two people are existing in silence as the outside world tries to penetrate that sacred space. Her abusive husband is desperate but in a violent way. He beats her and then apologizes to her. It's very heartwarming to see her and a stranger develop ways of communicating to one another without talking. At first I was hoping that eventually they would talk to each other but then I got to a point where I didn't want them to. It would've ruined it for me if they had started talking and I'd like to think that it would've ruined it for them too. The connection between these two characters is monumental and is proof that you can communicate without saying anything. I found myself smiling throughout most of it and also frowning during the violent parts.
Technically this film is a marvel and I say that because there is one piece of music that is used throughout most of the film and it's so beautiful. I would say it's their theme song. There is a calming quiet about this film's sound that I like. Aside from the silence from the two leads, all you hear is the motorbike, sounds of the city, and the putting of the golf ball. It's so simple and so effective and it's almost other worldly. It takes you to another place, another plane. Watching these two characters was a blissful experience for me and I can't stop gushing. The writer took his time developing these characters and the director paced the film very well. Even though the film is only a couple minutes under an hour and a half long, it feels longer than that. This is an example of great storytelling with a completely original idea. Some people would probably say that this film is a gimmick, but I beg to differ. To me it's about the power of communicating without words. The ending of this film is fantastic and totally a trip. The cinematography was on a wide scope and really captured the silent environment that they lived in. The fact that these two people took risks and broke into homes and lived a sort of domestic bliss together, was magic to me. They were almost living out a life that they wish they had together in silence without the aggressions of the loud outside world. The love that they have for each other has no words. A lot of people make things more complicated than they need to be and this film showed me that it doesn't have to be.
I can't recommend this film enough. If you're into foreign film or looking to expand your cinematic horizons, rent or buy this one.
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