Late Autumn (2010)

Good movie but grossly overrated

Charming and brutal

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The film opens with a severely beaten Anna (the always beautiful Wang Tei) desperately struggling to come to terms with what led to the death of an, as of yet, unidentified male. Much of the film operates in this fashion, providing the viewer with enough of a taste to comprehend what may have happened, however, rarely definitively illustrating an exact answer, allowing the audience's imagination to fill in the blanks. On one hand, this has the unique feel of independent cinema, and allows viewers much freedom, though at the same time, can become frustrating, considering we, the viewers, long for completeness to quench our thirst for knowledge.Seven years later, in the midst of a prison sentence, Anna is given a three day furlough to visit her mother's funeral. On the way to Seattle, she bumps into Hoon (Hyun-Bin), who asks her to lend him money for bus fare, and though he promises to pay her back, Anna shows little interest. Ms. Tei convincingly plays a woman who has become disillusioned and pessimistic from her time in prison, while exhibiting melancholy in a city which has changed since she was last there.By chance, she meets Hoon once more, who offers to take her around Seattle. Hoon is, for lack of a better term, a gigolo, however, his explanation sounds far more advertising, though at the same time, he seems painfully romantic, garnering feelings for some of the women he meets, despite being required to maintain his professionalism.On the run from the jealous husband of a woman who fell in love with him two years earlier, Hoon is a man whose life has taken a turn for the worse, much like Anna's, yet continues to maintain optimism and confidence, that attracts her to him. Surrounded by judgemental relatives, Hoon is the one man who accepts Anna for who she is.The chemistry between the leads is especially great, there being a number of equally dramatic and humorous moments to behold. Moreover, a number of scenes are very memorable, including a moment when Hoon and Anna break into an amusement park, alongside another time when Anna discusses some of her past.The multiple locations are brilliantly brought to life by the cinematography, which further draws us into the experience, while the use of sound and music is just as effective.By the conclusion of the film, I was left feeling a little empty, for unlike other features, that serenade us with fantastical plots of everlasting love, director Kim Tae-Yong never tries to force anything. Instead, he creates a feature that feels very genuine, right down to the painful reality that not everything is destined to end happily ever after, despite our wishful thinking.(Half of the film is in English, while the other half is sub-titled).

If you are looking for one of those happy and feel-good movies, then this one is not for you. However, if you are up for a different experience, knowing it might not end well(who knows!), then you are in for a beautiful ride. Its a simple story. No complications there. Its just the chemistry between the lead guy and the girl is precious. It just goes on to prove that all you need are few dedicated minutes with a person to know if you like them. And sometimes, it helps not to look too far down in the future. Live today - for all you have. The movie is a treat if you want to watch a relaxing movie on a lazy Saturday night. I loved it!

You will find inside you the answer to all the questions that might arise during the 115 min of beautiful "Korean cinema - now- ". You could confirm your internal GPS and uncover lost feelings and/or emotions that you were never sure about.A movie that offers an affirmation about your internal GPS,maybe gives away a technique to discover different information about your true self.You might find a subtle,lingering something that repeatedly remains unemployed inside you that keeps you ignorant about profound experiences.If things suggested in the movie make sense for your own self you will end up weeping or laughing - that would represent an affirmation that the statements do resonate with you.I wish that you step out of the movie theatre a truer version of yourself!!!!!!Enjoy.

The prologue opens with a dishevelled and somewhat stunned looking women (later known as Anna Chan), a lost soul wandering in a suburban area of a city (later known to be Seattle). Then, as if suddenly snapped back into her senses, she returns to what must be scene of crime and fumbles around a dead man lying on the floor. Police sirens, then an abrupt cut to the title on a black screen "Late Autumn".Seven years later, we see Anna getting a three day pass from prison to attend her mother's funeral, with a cell phone by which her whereabouts is monitored. Failure to answer and report will constitute prison-breaking, immediately triggering a manhunt (or womanhunt, if you wish). On the bus home to Seattle, she encounters Hoon, a Korean young man who claims to have his wallet stolen and borrows 30 dollars from her to make up for his bus fare. Noticing the reluctance in her compliance, he leaves her his watch for custodianship until he pays her back. The rest of the movie is about the development of a subtle relationship between Anna and Hoon.The persona of the two protagonists cannot be more polarized. Hoon is flippant, happy-go-lucky but not without charm. This soon all makes sense as it is revealed that his is a male escort (a less flattering term would be gigolo). While phone calls Anna gets are from the prison authorities, Hoon gets his share of phone calls from a friend warning him that one of his favourite client's husband is furious and coming after him. Anna, serving a sentence for killing (not specified if it is murder or lesser charge) is understandably taciturn and guarding. Hoon seems quite sincere in his attentive and gentle attempt to make friends, but to no avail.Upon arrival in Seattle, Hoon goes off to meet his client, said wife of the angry husband, makes himself obviously very welcome, receives a handsome fee, and even an invitation to elope. Anna is less fortunate, finding herself almost like a stranger to her family after 7 years of imprisonment. After some agonizing, she decides to spend the time before the funeral in solitude. When Anna and Hoon chance to meet again, each with a day ahead with no clear purpose, it is where the mesmerizing movie really begins. On an impulse, she suggests sex ("Do you want me?") which does not work out as she has been so emotionally damaged in the last 7 years in prison. In good humour, he suggests taking this "first unsatisfied customer" on a relaxing tour of Seattle.One situation in movies always fascinates me – how two complete strangers finally click. My top favourite has always been, and still is, "The bridges of Madison County" (1995)(except for Before Sunrise/Sunset, which is beyond being mere "top favourite"). What "Late Autumn" offers is ingenious and, as already mentioned, mesmerizing. The day has gone relaxing enough, despite her taciturn irresponsiveness to his considerate attention. Then at dawn, in a deserted amusement park, something magical happens. At a distance, they see a couple (purportedly Greek, he darkish and she blonde and fair) on an animated exchange. He is trying to end their relationship while she implores him to reconsider. In his customary flippant style, Hoon starts to dub the conversation in amusement, in both voices. The magical moment starts when Anna, quite unexpectedly, picks up the woman's part. The scene ends with a surreal dance sequence beautifully executed by the distant couple. From this point on, there may not appear to have been any apparent change in the relationship between Anna and Hoon, the audience sense that somewhere, there souls are beginning to find each other.Two ensuing and equally ingenious scenes cement this development. Anna tells her story – an adolescent infatuation, an unhappy marriage, re-entering into her life of the irresponsible man she adored, jealous husband and physical abuse, and finally killing (legal technicalities omitted) and imprisonment. While Anna and Hoon have been conversing in English (with amply adequate fluency), this self-revelation sequence is in Chinese, with Hoon responding in the only two Chinese words he knows – "good" and "bad". Despite that fact that these two words are sometimes used incorrectly (almost farcically), one somehow gets the feeling that Hoon understands most of what Anna tells him. Or does it really matter? The other scene is a social gathering after the funeral, ending in a brawl between Hoon and this irresponsible ex-boy friend of Anna, now happily married. The whole scene is a charade and again at times almost farcical – the reason given by Hoon for his physical attack is that this man has used his fork, and didn't even apologize. The more farcical the scene, the more poignant is the entirely over-blown emotional reaction of both Hoon and Anna, standing up for each other.I fear this piece is already approaching IMDb's word limits. There is a lot more to be discovered, enjoyed and appreciated in this movie which is filmed in Seattle, in the city's usual melancholy rain and mist, but not without a break of sunshine that is particularly significant. Music is put to the best use, as is complete silence. TANG Wei's superb, nuanced performance won her a dozen well deserved awards. HYUN Bin's role is not as easy as it appears. To play a flippant gigolo is not difficult but to play one that convincingly capture the audience empathy requires much work, which he delivers almost effortlessly.