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Addicted - aka "Jungdok" (2002)
Dir: Young-hoon Park
Eun-su (Mi-yeon Lee) lives in Marital bliss with her Husband Ho-jin (Eol Lee),
who works from home as a carpenter/artist and is the perfect partner.
Living with them is Ho-jin's younger Brother Dae-jin (Byung-hun Lee) who is
a flamboyant racing car driver and who spends most of his spare time tinkering
with his car.
The three live in harmony, but Eun-su is concerned that Dae-jin spends too much
time alone and tries to push him into finding a girlfriend.
Yae-Joo (Seon-yeong Park), who works in Dae-jin's racing team, would like to
be that girlfriend, but her love is unrequited as Dae-jin only sees her as a
friend.
One fateful day, in different locations, Ho-jin (in a taxi) and Dae-jin (in
his racing car) are involved in horrific crashes, at the same time, and both
men end up in a coma.
A year later Dae-jin awakens and Eun-su takes him home to care for him while
her Husband remains in a coma.
Dae-jin is distant and subdued and somehow not himself. He also starts to do
things he never used to do, like cooking for Eun-su, tending the flowers and
even taking up carpentry, all things that the still comatose Ho-jin used to
do.
A confused Eun-su then has the shock of her life…Dae-jin insists that he
is really Ho-jin, and that he has 'possessed' his Brother's body because he
could not bare to be separated from his Wife.
Is Dae-jin mad? Is he lying? Or is he really possessed?
Eun-so will soon discover the truth…..
Away from the stream of ghosts and guns Korean flicks that have found distribution
in the West recently, 'Tai Seng' has released this sedate romantic drama (with
a twist) onto the UK market.
And with no blood, scares or real action it's a brave move, and one that will
thankfully reward the brave purchaser who hands over their cash.
Won-mi Byun's screenplay is a textbook example of proficient simplicity and
delivers four main characters that are rounded and interesting. In fact this
type of film lives or dies by its characters and how well the actors portray
them.
The main chunk of the story plays out with no flashy gimmicks, no over the top
visuals and no sudden changes from the direction it has set itself. It quite
simply leads the viewer along until it unleashes its final payoff.
Given that, you would be forgiven for thinking that "Addicted" would
be a dull experience, and indeed it could have been if it had not been so effectively
realised, directed and above all else, acted.
Mi-yeon Lee was awarded the Best Actress honour at the South Korean 'Grand
Bell Awards' in 2003 for her work here and it was well deserved. Eun-so is driven
in her career and yet full of fun, life and above all unconditional love where
her Husband is concerned. Despite the would-be awkward situation with Dae-jin
living with them, Eun-so has nothing but concern and deep friendship for the
young man and the three share what seems like a truly warm and close relationship.
Mi-yeon Lee portrays all these aspects of Eun-so's life and personality perfectly,
and truly comes into her own during the second half of the film where Eun-so
has to face up to the on-going heartache of Ho-jin's coma, the shock of Dae-jins
revelation and all the confused emotions that these events heap upon her.
Her scene with Ho-jin as he lies in the hospital, now in a coma for over a year,
is achingly sad and Mi-yeon Lee beautifully shows us the love that is still
burning in her heart for her lost Husband, and when she says to Ho-jin "I
can't remember your voice" the full weight of the tragedy is driven
home to the audience in a subtle, carefully written and performed way.
As the lynch pin of the story Mi-yeon Lee is a striking revelation.
But this is a true ensemble piece and Mi-yeon Lee is in great company. Her
popular co-star Byung-hun Lee (they worked together with great success in 1998's
"The Harmonium in My Memory") is riveting as Dae-jin.
Of all the characters Dae-jin is the most complex and given his part in the
story it's vital we are forever unsure about him, yet still retain sympathy
and closeness to him. We have to like him for the film to work, and the handsome
and charismatic Byung-hun Lee ensures that is indeed the case. The roller coaster
ride of emotions that Dae-jin not only experiences himself but projects onto
others are played to perfection with subtle facial movements accenting the deeply
emotional, but very grounded, delivery of the dialogue.
Given only a relatively short time on screen, Eol Lee has to project Ho-jin into the audience's psyche as quickly as he can because the shadow of his loving and likeable character will be an important presence in the film and to the loved ones he leaves behind. Eol Lee emotes warmth that is vital to the story's success.
The fourth player in this drama may be initially on the sidelines, but Yae-Joo will later become crucial to the plot and the performance by the lovely Seon-yeong Park an important aspect of the movie's charm and hold on the audience. As the lovelorn but optimistic Yae-Joo she is a fun and warm presence that highlights the hope, as well as the heartache, in the confused and tragic relationships the characters lead.
The initial build-up to the crashes does seem overly slow until the final part of the film plays out and we find that in fact it was absolutely essential that we saw and felt the close relationship between the three leads. And there are some genuinely amusing and warm scenes to be savored here, scenes that mix romance and light comedic interaction that build up the affection the audience must feel towards these people if the film is to hold the attention as the slow burning drama unfolds.
The car crashes themselves are superbly realised and crafted and deliver the
required punch. Excellent work by the stunt team and the special effects crew.
There is some mild nudity and sex, but it is used very sparingly and is a genuine
part of the story and the main love scene is carefully staged and performed
so the audience never feels they are a voyeur, but are instead witnessing a
physical act of psychological healing for the characters.
Young-hoon Park directs with an assured understanding of the characters and
their relationship, pacing the early stages of the movie so as we feel the sudden
violence of the car accidents to their fullest and carefully judging the build-up
to the devastating twist.
The twist itself is something many viewers would have seen coming, but the way
it is revealed (with some fine editing and powerful acting from Mi-yeon Lee)
and above all the truly heartbreaking emotional fall-out that follows this revelation
is powerful indeed.
But the full consequences of the twist are revealed in a deeply moving final
scene (magnificently played by Byung-hun Lee) which ensures that "Addicted"
leaves the viewer on a powerfully emotional note.
Wrapping itself around the film is a sombre but beautiful score that drifts
around the unfolding drama and becomes an intrinsic part of the perfectly crafted
tragi-drama that makes "Addicted" the memorable and moving film it
is.
An American re-make is on the cards, but it will be hard pressed to compete
with the perfect casting seen in the original.
'Tai Seng Entertainment UK' has released "Addicted" in a slightly
soft (but anamorphic) transfer that rather lacks background detail and would
seem to be, judging by the motion blur, an NTSC to PAL conversation.
So not as good a looking picture as we would have hoped, but the 5:1 Korean
language mix is very nice and clear and has some well used surround effects.
The extras consist of a trailer, a music video (basically a song from the film
played over clips), brief interviews with Mi-yeon Lee and Byung-hun Lee, cast/crew
info, stills gallery and an interesting 'making of' that shows the actors rehearsing
and on set, Byung-hun Lee training for his driving sequences as well as the
extensive work needed to pull off the two car crash scenes.
All in all though it's a nice package, let down a bit by the transfer, of an
emotionally satisfying and wholely successful film that most definately rewards
the adventerous viewer.