Lee Dae-geun, for most Korean moviegoers now in their 30s or older, is the very definition of a sex symbol. Since his debut in 1964, he has appeared in more than 300 films, many of which helped cultivate his association with sexual energy.
Lee's new role in "Long Day's Journey into Night" does not have any connection with his famous sex image. The film, based on a famous local drama, involves a weakened status of a father -- an old, powerless and lonely Korean father.
In the film, Lee leads a family that is now barely functioning. In his youth, he wandered around the country in the hope of becoming a real actor, but ended up running a small, shabby signature stamp-making shop in a rural area. He has two sons and one daughter, now all grown-ups, but they have not visited their father's house in the past three years.
Lee realizes that it is time to mend fences with his children, especially right before the anniversary of his wife's death. In the name of preparing for the memorial, he has asked all the family members to gather together at a house in Seoul. Director Shim Kwang-jin frequently captures Lee's crouched posture and wrinkled face in close-ups, as if trying to say that he is on the very age of collapse. In fact, he does not have much to brag about. He does not have enough money. He constantly misses his deceased wife. He also wants to reunite with his youngest son, but his whereabouts remain unknown.
The central plot plays out at the memorial at a rented house in Seoul. All the family members, except for the youngest son, have finally gathered together and set about setting the table for the memorial.
The movie is based on Theater Troup Chaymu's "Happy Family", which explains why many of the lines sound like part of a drama scenario. In addition to the dialogues, many scenes also take the form of drama chapters, with characters moving swiftly and dramatically in the limited space.
Notably, some of the dialogues do not sound like the ones among real family members. This is a cinematic device hinting at why they do not get along, even considering that they have not talked to each other in recent years.
To maximize dramatic impact, the movie seems to rely on its surprise ending that discloses all the mysteries about the dysfunctional and quarreling family members. But whether the film offers enough storytelling elements that justify such an ending is questionable.
One of the visible weaknesses is that Lee's vulnerable image is repeated too much and too frequently. His long face and depressed gestures, though an impressive change in consideration of his past sex-related persona, do not help bolstering the ultimate plot twist.
Lee's transformation into a father deprived of all the paternal authority is a bold move, but some moviegoers will wonder why Lee should bother to change his image at this point.
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