I'm noticing that Korean movies always have to have an element of tragedy. I have yet to see a happily ever after. They're more like this-is-the-best-you're-going-to-get ever after. And I'm not mad.
"A Bittersweet Life" is about a faithful and effective right-hand-man for a mob boss named Sunwoo (Lee Byung Hun). He is cool under pressure and good with his hands and feet. The boss, Mr. Kang (Yeong-cheol Kim), gave him the task of tailing his young girlfriend Hee Soo (Shin Min-a) while he was away on business. If Sunwoo saw Mr. Kang's girlfriend with another man, then he was to dispose of both of them.
At first I thought this was a tale about falling in love with the boss's girl. It kind of was and kind of wasn't. Sunwoo did see Hee Soo with another man, but that little piece of him that had feelings for her wouldn't allow him to harm her. And that was his big mistake. He suffered greatly for that mistake, and he would repay his suffering as well.
"A Bittersweet Life" was a solid movie. The characters were lively and interesting as well as the plot. I've seen similar American movies with varying degrees of enthusiasm. This one had the right elements to make it good. A likeable protagonist, proper motivation, and some good fight scenes. There was nothing bitter about this.
"A Bittersweet Life" is about a faithful and effective right-hand-man for a mob boss named Sunwoo (Lee Byung Hun). He is cool under pressure and good with his hands and feet. The boss, Mr. Kang (Yeong-cheol Kim), gave him the task of tailing his young girlfriend Hee Soo (Shin Min-a) while he was away on business. If Sunwoo saw Mr. Kang's girlfriend with another man, then he was to dispose of both of them.
At first I thought this was a tale about falling in love with the boss's girl. It kind of was and kind of wasn't. Sunwoo did see Hee Soo with another man, but that little piece of him that had feelings for her wouldn't allow him to harm her. And that was his big mistake. He suffered greatly for that mistake, and he would repay his suffering as well.
"A Bittersweet Life" was a solid movie. The characters were lively and interesting as well as the plot. I've seen similar American movies with varying degrees of enthusiasm. This one had the right elements to make it good. A likeable protagonist, proper motivation, and some good fight scenes. There was nothing bitter about this.