In Her Place, 2014.
Directed by Albert Shin.
Starring Yoon Da Kyung, Ahn Ji Hye, Kil Hae Yeon, Kim Sung Cheol, Kim Chang Hwan, and Kim Kyung Ik.
SYNOPSIS:
A wealthy couple seeks to secretly adopt the unborn child of an impoverished and troubled rural teenager.
A luxury car drives up a dirt road to a farm in desperate need of repair; a well-attired young South Korean couple steps out of the vehicle to meet with a mother and her teenage daughter who is of particular interest to them. The poor agricultural family was hit hard by Mad Cow disease which decimated their herd of cattle and by the death of the patriarch. Something secretive is taking place as an American cellphone left with the wife as her husband needs to return to work.
A dress is given to the teenage girl from the female visitor which quietly reveals that fact that she is pregnant. The mother is determined to make sure that baby adoption transaction takes place with the eating habits of her daughter being a big concern. Phone calls fill in some of the narrative gaps. The confrontation of the boyfriend of the teenager makes the woman who expects to be an adoptive parent uneasy as she is becoming more immersed in the lives of her hosts.
Simplicity reigns as the action comes to the camera, shots are allowed to linger and natural light subtly illuminates the carefully composed imagery. The score stays in the background and at times scenes are absent of music. Windows play a big part in framing the action of the various characters who express their emotions more through their body language and facial expressions than in words. The slow pacing emphasizes the fact that In Her Place is meant to be a character study rather than a plot-drive tale. As in life, filmmaker Albert Shin (Point Traverse) who co-wrote the screenplay and edited the drama has chosen not to go for a tidy ending but one that feels rather bitter sweet.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★★★/ Movie: ★★★
Originally published September 3, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
