Mother (2009)

Mother (R) Review

"Between a Bear and her Cub"

Director Joon-ho Bong burst onto the American film scene with Korean Horror Adventure The Host (2008), his follow-up proves he is here to stay.  A murder mystery rife with psychological weight that would make Albert Hitchcock blush, Mother is another peek into Korean life, told through the tale of a Mother's love of her Mentally unstable Son and the lengths she goes to prove he is innocent of murder.

A thick, murky crime thriller, Bong's film is fantastically tense as the Mother (played spectacularly by Hye-ja Kim) sifts through the evidence and questions witnesses about the case against her adult son who is a bit touched in the head.  Mother and Son have always been close, living meager lives with just each other to rely on.  As the Mother struggles to survive and acquit her son, she stumbles upon the dark truths of her life.  The soft speaking Mother role is played beautifully with most of the portrayal in her eyes, her gestures, her movements.  The finale is satisfying and unexpected as the Director's interests in humanity and the spaces it inhabits are clear and present.  This as good as any psychological thriller made in the past decade.

8 Maternal Instincts out of 10 (GREAT)