Flash Evaluate: Our Season [Korea][Movie]

The second I watched this film’s trailer (which I’ve embedded beneath, on the finish of this fast evaluate), I knew that I might love this film, and I additionally knew that it might make me cry.

I believed that these tears can be worthwhile, and now that I’ve come out the opposite aspect, I’m pleased to report that I used to be proper. I did cry, and it did really feel worthwhile. 🥲🥲

Undoubtedly advocate. ❤️

WHAT IT’S ABOUT

The story of Bok Ja (Kim Hae Sook), a ghost who’s granted a particular 3-day trip after her loss of life, and the way she spends that trip visiting her daughter, Jin Ju (Shin Min Ah).

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

Right here are some things that I believe can be useful to bear in mind, to maximise your enjoyment of your watch:

1. This film leans bittersweet

I suppose that’s pretty apparent, given the premise of our story, however I believed I’d point out it anyway.

There’s lots of emotion on this story, starting from wistfulness, to remorse, to like, however as a result of Bok Ja is a ghost, this film is inherently bittersweet.

I might say although, that there’s extra emphasis on the candy, than the bitter, and that that is general, a therapeutic story. 🥲

2. The pacing is measured

Some may say that Present’s measured tempo is sluggish, however I personally discovered this to be very well-paced, in a considerate and unhurried manner.

I believe it might be useful to observe this once you’re not in a rush.

3. Your mileage could fluctuate

What I imply is, all of us include our personal private contexts, and subsequently all of us have completely different experiences relating to {our relationships} with our moms.

I do assume that a few of the beats on this story would hit nearer to dwelling for some than for others.

Both manner, I do assume that this watch is worth it. 🥲

STUFF I LIKED

The best way Present unfolds our story

The best way Present units up its story, is that we begin when Bok Ja arrives for her trip, and is briefed on the entire thing, by her heavenly information (Kang Ki Younger).

We don’t know something about Bok Ja’s relationship along with her daughter Jin Ju, at first of our story, however Present serves up varied jigsaw items alongside the way in which, through the recollections that our varied characters faucet into.

I discovered that I actually preferred this, as a result of I felt like with every jigsaw piece of reminiscence given to us, my understanding of the connection between Bok Ja and Jin Ju, grew into sharper focus.

Alongside, I additionally felt my feelings in response to this relationship, develop into sharper focus, with every step in the direction of higher understanding what their connection was all about.

General, I believed this was very properly performed, and made for an enriching watch expertise.

Kim Hae Sook as Bok Ja

Kim Hae Sook is at all times excellent, and this outing is as implausible as I’d anticipated it to be.

Bok Ja begins out as being fairly cantankerous, nevertheless it actually isn’t lengthy earlier than her tender coronary heart begins to peek out, after which by the tip of the film she had my coronary heart all in my throat – however I’ll discuss that later, within the spoiler part.

For now, I simply needed to offer Kim Hae Sook the kudos she deserves, for being great as Bok Ja.

Shin Min Ah as Jin Ju

I like Shin Min Ah as properly, so it was nice to see her within the position of Jin Ju, who’s doing every little thing she will, to return to phrases with Bok Ja’s loss of life, and the entire regrets and questions that she has in her coronary heart, in relation to Bok Ja.

I discovered Shin Min Ah’s portrayal very pure and restrained, which I believed match the position completely.

Very well performed, I believed.

Bok Ja and Jin Ju collectively [BROAD SPOILERS]

Although Bok Ja’s a ghost and subsequently Jin Jin can’t see her, nor hear her, Present does a extremely good job of managing to place them in the identical body in a significant manner, like this shot above, of Bok Ja watching Jin Ju make the identical meals that Bok Ja had as soon as made.

With out getting an excessive amount of into spoilers, I’ll simply say that I discovered it significant to see the way in which mom and daughter had shared recollections, and to see how they every felt about these recollections.

It was additionally significant to see Jin Ju work to attach along with her mom, by way of recreating the meals that Bok Ja had used to prepare dinner, and the way a lot she treasures these flavors, and the recollections that the flavors conjure up.

THOUGHTS ON THE STORY & ENDING [SPOILERS]

As our story progresses, it turns into clear that Jin Ju is actually struggling to return to phrases with Bok Ja’s loss of life, and a big a part of the reason being as a result of they’d had a fancy and strained relationship for a lot of Jin Ju’s life.

And, as the larger image of their relationship grew to become clearer, it was straightforward to see that Bok Ja liked Jin Ju greater than something on this planet, and would do something for her child lady, even when it was at a excessive value to herself.

In any case, that’s the entire motive that Bok Ja had remarried, and settled Jin Ju along with her brother and sister-in-law as a substitute; it was the one manner she’d had, on the time, of gaining monetary safety, in order that she would be capable of pay for Jin Ju’s bills.

And so, when Bok Ja begins to know that Jin Ju’s in a extremely unhealthy place, emotionally and mentally, and is carrying lots of guilt for the way she’d saved Bok Ja at a distance when Bok Ja had been alive, it made excellent sense to me, that she would wish to assist Jin Ju overcome this – and that she would pay any value needed, with a purpose to do it.

And what higher value might there be, however that Bok Ja would lose all her recollections of Jin Ju, if she have been to speak to Jin Ju.

But, Bok Ja solely pauses for a protracted second to course of the worth, earlier than she tells her information, that she needed to go forward with it, as a result of all that mattered to her, was that Jin Ju would be capable of stay properly, right here and now.

The scenes that adopted, the place Bok Ja interacts with Jin Ju, are essentially the most treasured that this film has to supply.

It warmed my coronary heart so, to see Jin Ju welcome Bok Ja with such mild pleasure, and ask her the place she’s been, as a result of she’s been ready to prepare dinner her a birthday meal, full with seaweed soup.

How touching, really, that Jin Ju actually had all of the elements readily available, like she mentioned, though she might don’t have any hope that Bok Ja would really be capable of eat the meal.

So how very, very treasured it’s, that Jin Ju will get to prepare dinner for Bok Ja, and that Bok Ja will get to eat her meals, and reward her cooking.

It’s such a terrific callback to the reminiscence that we’d seen, of Bok Ja cooking up a desk filled with meals for Jin Ju, the day that Jin Ju had gotten off early from faculty, and had visited Bok Ja at her employer’s dwelling.

Not like that reminiscence, nevertheless, this time, mom and daughter do share a meal, and it completely looks like this meal makes up for that different meal, which had became an emotional wound for Jin Ju.

This meal that Jin Ju serves, is just like the balm to heal that wound, and I find it irresistible. 🥲

And I like that after the meal, as they sit beneath the celebs, Jin Ju tells Bok Ja that she’d considered her lots whereas within the US, and that she’d remembered solely the pleased recollections, and Bok Ja tells Jin Ju that she’d by no means deserted her as soon as, even in her desires, and that she’d solely needed Jin Ju to have a greater life than she’d had.

That feels so mutually therapeutic and delightful, particularly when Jin Ju tells Bok Ja that she’s all grown up now, due to Bok Ja’s efforts, and resides the great life that Bok Ja had made so many sacrifices for her to have.

Augh. It’s so lovely.

I additionally liked the scene the place they lie collectively in mattress, speaking, as a result of that was one thing that Jin Ju had as soon as mentioned that they weren’t shut sufficient to try this type of factor.

It’s so great, that they get to try this on this second, and show to themselves, that that had by no means been true. 🥲

It was heartbreaking to see the information proceed to erase all of Bok Ja’s recollections of Jin Ju 😭, nevertheless it’s so comforting to see, the subsequent morning, that Jin Ju really has acquired all of the emotional therapeutic that she’d wanted.

Not solely that, it’s such a consolation to see that Bok Ja had left Jin Ju a letter, in her outdated journals that Jin Ju’s been studying, and in it, she tells Jin Ju that she’d had a beautiful time visiting her on her trip, and needs that Jin Ju would stay a enjoyable and pleased life till she’s 100 – and, someday, even when Bok Ja can’t keep in mind her, that Jin Ju would come search for her.

Augh. My coronary heart. 🥹

That’s such a fantastically tender, hopeful observe on which to finish our story. Due to course Jin Ju would keep in mind Bok Ja, even when Bok Ja couldn’t keep in mind her.

And that’s how their bond won’t ever be damaged, even when Bok Ja’s recollections are not. 🥲❤️

THE FINAL VERDICT:

Poignant, tender and therapeutic. Very worthwhile.

FINAL GRADE: A-

TRAILER:

WHERE TO WATCH:

Present is accessible on VIU.

Getting round geo-restrictions

In case you’re geo-restricted, a VPN service would provide help to get round that. Not solely does it present on-line security, it additionally provides you entry to plenty of nice geo-restricted content material.

I personally use NordVPN. You could find my evaluate of NordVPN right here.

You should utilize my affiliate hyperlink (right here!) to take pleasure in as much as 74% off, plus 3 additional months, with costs beginning as little as US$3.09 per 30 days.

An article on why it’s not unlawful to make use of a VPN to entry authorized streaming content material could be discovered right here.

Associated