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| Salinui Chueok (2003) |
With the original Korean title of “Salinui Chueok”, this beautiful movie directed by Bong Joon – ho, was released in 2003. Beautiful isn't an adjective I would usually associate with a crime thriller, but this movie is an exception. And no, it isn't because there are warm mushy elements thrown in to the storyline to give us a warm, fuzzy feeling in the midst of being engrossed in the narrative. I call it beautiful because it is a beautiful piece of film making, without being an arthouse flick or even a dry snobbish attempt at niche market commercial cinema.
The first thing you need to know about the movie is that its story is based on real events. With this factor in play, a crime thriller usually takes one of two directions. Either becoming too much of an exaggeration of the actual events, falling back on the age old excuse of artistic liberty, or it sacrifices too much of the average movie goer’s entertainment for the sake of an artsy, near documentary feel.
“Memories of Murder” does neither. The true testament to this fact is that while watching the movie, had a disclaimer at the beginning not mentioned that this was based on actual crimes, I would not have known it. I would have happily believed that this story was a fictional one written for the screen. But then also, having known the movie’s obligation to make this story fall in line with historical plot points on some level at least, I could not find any obvious point in it which would stand in stark contrast against reality.
The film is set in rural South Korea in the province of Gyunggi in 1986. Two women have been found raped and murdered in a brutal fashion, and the local police who struggle with the bare elements of policing, including forensics, investigate it as separate crimes in remarkably sloppy fashion. They fall back on the crudest form of investigation with an emphasis on a ‘meat and potatoes’ system of motives and suspects. While their techniques backfire on them, they are still all too eager to close the case with brutal interrogations and coercion if necessary.
As one of the lead characters puts it, “Korean detectives investigate with their feet.”
It is then that a police detective from Seoul comes to the sleepy rural area, having requested this case in particular as his assignment. He believes a serial killer is at large in Gyunggi, and turns out to be a sharp investigator who is persistent and systematic in his methods. These two styles, so to speak, of policing don’t mix that well in the beginning and there is a lot of friction between the new guy on the block and the veterans of the rural scene. But as the story moves forward, a partnership based on a common desire to find the perpetrator of the brutal murders forms, and therein a professional friendship.
I will not reveal any more of the plot because this is a gripping one, and it would be a shame to divulge too much of it right now, in case you haven’t seen it yet. However, I would like to note at this juncture that this movie relies on the plot-line of the investigation heavily to carry it through. So don’t let my small, rather bland synopsis give you the impression that it is mainly about the interpersonal relationships of the people in it.
On the other hand, this also does not mean that the film is lacking in interesting, well rounded characters. In fact, it has an abundance of it, with the lead characters being portrayed quite brilliantly with some praiseworthy acting skill.
I would especially like to give a standing ovation to the lead actor Song Kang – ho for bringing a wonderful level of believability to his role as the village policeman, who is stubborn but smart in his own unique way. I adore this character so much, not so much for his methodologies but because Song Kang – ho’s depiction of him is that nuanced and subtle in a plethora of ways.
Even the supporting cast’s performances in this movie have been given due attention by the director, with several otherwise forgettable characters being etched deep into the viewer's mind by the end of the film.
What all this adds up to is this. The atmosphere, cleverly crafted screenplay and some stellar performances create a uniquely comfortable setting for you as the viewer to engage completely with the storyline without diverting your attention to the peripheral aspects. In cinema, this is a rare accomplishment indeed.
Too often while watching a film, while many of the aspects of the movie remain wonderful, I am drawn to the ones that aren’t, thus distracting me from the goal of complete involvement in the plot.
The music treatment and the editing has been meticulously done to completely merge with the pacing and structure of the narrative. I personally cannot think of even one part or scene of the movie that I would take away from the whole.
All this and more makes “Memories of Murder” perhaps my favourite film in the crime thriller genre. I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in the genre or just in a plain, good movie experience.
