[K-Movie Night] Miss Granny » Dramabeans Korean drama recaps

[K-Movie Night] Miss Granny

by Dramaddictally

Welcome to Ok-Film Night time — a once-a-month characteristic the place we microwave some popcorn, placed on a face masks, and get cozy with a Korean film from yesteryear. With so many movies lastly streaming (with subs!), now’s the time to get caught up on all these motion pictures we missed that includes our favourite drama actors.

Every month, we’ll decide a flick, write a overview, and meet you again right here to debate whether or not or not it’s value a watch. Tremendous easy. All you must do is kick up your ft and be part of us within the feedback!

 
MOVIE REVIEW

With the Ok-drama remake of Miss Granny slated to premiere earlier than the yr’s finish, it appeared excessive time to take a look at the movie that every one the fuss was about. Again in 2014, it cleaned up at nationwide and worldwide awards reveals and festivals, taking house wins for finest actress, screenplay, music, and manufacturing. And a decade after its launch, the film continues to be certainly one of Korea’s largest field workplace hits of all time.

With a time-slip, fantasy premise and an all-around stellar forged, it’s not arduous to see the attraction. To be trustworthy, I’ll watch something the place Na Moon-hee seems, however Miss Granny boasts Shim Eun-kyung within the lead, in addition to the likes of Sung Dong-il, Park In-hwan, Kim Seul-gi, and the cutie-pie face of Jinyoung (who will star within the new drama remake, btw). Why I waited so lengthy to look at this one is a thriller — but it surely’s a misstep that wanted to be corrected.

I’ll simply lay down all my playing cards instantly: I cherished it. I do know I’m arduous to please in relation to overhyped motion pictures, and I usually really feel disillusioned, however this one lives as much as the excitement. Comedy, drama, romance, music — it hits all the fitting notes in any respect the fitting moments and made me want I had seen it in a theater to expertise the highs and lows alongside a gaggle of different moviegoers. Alas, I watched it alone — however that didn’t cease it from sending my temper towards the moon. Briefly, it’s one for the rewatch pile and I extremely advocate it.

We begin off with an introduction to OH MAL-SOON (Na Moon-hee) who’s feisty and combating, even in her 70s. She works at a espresso store, rides a motorbike, mouths off to actually everybody, and spends most of her time hanging out together with her lifelong buddy (Park In-hwan), who’s at all times had a significant crush on her. And Na Moon-hee is simply good for this attitude-ridden position.

We be taught shortly that Mal-soon was as soon as a fairly younger factor who deliberate to keep away from getting previous by offing herself earlier than she turned thirty. Nonetheless, she received married and had a child, and when her husband died younger, she needed to keep alive to take care of her son. Now, her college professor son, HYUN-CHUL (Sung Dong-il), is her pleasure and pleasure, and he or she doesn’t remorse how she’s lived.

That’s, till Hyun-chul has to decide on between his mom and his spouse. Since Mal-soon lives together with her son’s household — and he or she’s not the nicest mother-in-law — when Hyun-chul’s spouse passes out from stress, the choice is made to ship halmeoni to a nursing house.

Mal-soon will get depressed and feels a way of betrayal as we discover out some questionable issues she did to outlive when Hyun-chul was a sickly child and he or she was on her personal. Whereas it might appear unethical, she stands by her previous actions as a result of her son is profitable and he “takes excellent care” of her. Or, no less than, he did.

The film does a superb job complicating the characters sufficient to elicit actual compassion right here. And it’s straightforward to grasp Mal-soon’s desperation as a younger mom, in addition to her sense of defeat within the current scenario. But it surely’s additionally straightforward to really feel for Hyun-chul, whose mom suffered a lot for him, that he can’t ever actually repay the debt it doesn’t matter what he does.

Earlier than she’s requested to maneuver out of the home, Mal-soon goes to the Ceaselessly Younger Portrait Studio to get a funeral photograph taken of herself. The photographer says he’ll make her look fifty years youthful, and when she comes out of the studio, she is. Within the flash of a digital camera, she’s gone from roughly seventy to twenty — and it takes her no time to determine to reap the benefits of it.

She provides herself a makeover with new garments and a brand new lower, however she additionally wants a brand new title. She settles on Audrey, after Audrey Hepburn, but it surely doesn’t roll off the tongue too straightforward, so it turns into OH DOO-RI (Shim Eun-kyung), lol.

And from there, she’s residing out all of the desires she had when she was younger, largely with out even making an attempt. Mal-soon at all times needed to be a singer, and so, Doo-ri will get on a neighborhood stage and sings an old-and-sweet sounding ballad. It’s melancholic and delightful and by the point she’s carried out everyone seems to be on their ft clapping and cheering.

Within the viewers is Mal-soon’s grandson, JI-HA (Jin-young), who desires this enchanting lady to be in his band. In the mean time, the band sings heavy metallic, however Doo-ri convinces them to carry out cute and candy tunes, utilizing her cute and candy character. The music is upbeat and enjoyable and it’s arduous to not smile ear to ear as she sings and bounces across the stage.

It doesn’t take lengthy for her successful character and wonderful voice to land them on TV, and in an particularly transferring scene, Doo-ri sings a ballad that has the entire crowd in tears as she thinks again on her life. We see her shedding her husband and elevating her son whereas working backbreaking jobs, which raises the stakes when Doo-ri catches the attention of the TV present’s producer (Lee Jin-wook), giving her a potential second probability at love.

Whereas the film brings each laughs and tears, many of the humor is meant to return from the truth that Doo-ri retains performing like a 70-year-old girl whereas in a younger physique. The factor is, I discover this character too lovable to totally purchase it. She’s forthright. And the funniest moments occur when she’s being trustworthy about herself, somewhat than telling folks what to do.

The conundrum in fact is whether or not or not Doo-ri should change again to Mal-soon. She’s received a brand new love curiosity, a brand new profession, and a brand new lease on life, however I discovered myself by no means preoccupied with what was to return — I used to be having too implausible of time watching this lady dwell her life second to second. And that’s the signal of a very nice character. Whether or not Doo-ri or Mal-soon, she’s superb in each her iterations, and each actresses embody the identical vigorous persona.

On the identical time, there’s an undercurrent of dying approaching and the film’s essential message seems to be that life is tough however there are good instances within the midst of it. There’s love (each familial and romantic) that may be concurrently lovely and tragic, whether or not it’s reciprocated or not. Weighed collectively, the movie’s highs and lows are constructed and paced completely, making the time go so shortly that I nearly wished it wouldn’t finish.

Watch it for the musical performances, the stream of feel-good moments, and the feminine lead. Plus, the tip encompasses a fabulous cameo that had me smiling and kicking my ft. The entire vibe left me on such an uplifted observe that I now rely this amongst my favourite Ok-movies. I got here out lighthearted and feeling alive — similar to the unforgettable heroine on the movie’s heart.

Be part of us in November for the following Ok-Film Night time and let’s make a celebration of it! We’ll be watching Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 (2019) and posting the overview over the last week of the month.

Wish to take part within the feedback when it posts? You’ve received 3 weeks to look at! Slightly look forward to the overview earlier than you determine to stream it? We’ve received you lined.

 
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