By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Sun-ae Lim
Starring: Joon-Kyung Kim | Ju-bong Gi | Soo-jung Ye
Original language title: 69 se
Country: south_korea
Year: 2021
Running time: 100
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11585882/reference
Michael says: “It was a bold move for South Korean writer director Lim Sun-ae to tackle elder abuse and rape as the subject of her first film, but after working on storyboards for director’s such as Lee Chang-dong, she was ready fo direct her own film.and a newspaper article about an elderly woman raped by a much younger inspired her to do so. AN OLD LADY starts artfully and effectively with a black screen, with only dialogue setting up what is clearly an older woman receiving physical therapy from a young man. The dialogue grows awkward, then uncomfortable, before it trails off as the act of violence takes place. When next we see Hyo-jeong, the poised, elegantly put together 69-year-old is with her dear friend and poet Nam Dong-in, helping him at his bookstore. Her posture and actions betray the trauma she has endured and she eventually shares her shame with Nam. She is encouraged by his support, and the two travel to the police to report the crime. It is there when the film’s drama begins to truly unfold as the investigating officers wonder aloud why a young man might rape an old woman. Things grow worse as the investigation unfolds and the perpetrator claims that the sex was consensual, and the clinic at which he works stonewalls the investigation. Hyo-jeong and Nam deal with the frustrating investigation in different ways.
“Hyo-jeong begins to examine her past to cope with the range of emotions this act as stirred up within her: shame, frustration, fury, resignation, and ultimately drive. She worries for estranged daughter, caught up in her own challenging relationship. Meanwhile, Nam being a man of a certain stature, uses his privilege to try and confront Hyo-jeong’s attacker directly, a failure that , while for some wondering why the filmmaker to spend time on a character other than the protagonist, examines a powerful comparison to the way Hyo-jeong ultimately confronts her attacker and finds redemption. That confrontation is both tense and powerful and a testament to Lim’s emerging skill as a director. The film concludes on a somewhat cinematic and hopeful note that maintains the somber tone of the film’s message, but allows for some satisfaction.
“Soo-jung Ye’s Hyo-jeong is a calm, poised presence even as she endures the horror of a rape, and then an indifferent system of justice Through it all she maintains her grace, even during an unsavory return through her past. She is like a tree bending in the wind without breaking as frustrating forces swirl around her, until she finally finds her own form of justice. Soo began her acting career relatively late in life playing characters like Grandmother and next door neighbor, but with AN OLD LADY she shoes that she deserves the leading role, and is more than up to the task. I see a potential nomination in the works. Acting veteran Ju-bong Gi (SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE) provides strong support as Nam. Director Lim Sun-ae has made an auspicious debut, with great skill and care. I look forward to seeing what she might try next. 4 1/2 cats“