spoilers
Those familiar with the Korean romance that is getting more and more global attention may or may not agree with what I say about Marriage Is A Crazy Thing. On the surface, Marriage seems to be very different from other movies in this genre where a kiss would often seem too explicit an expression of love. Underneath the somewhat shocking explicit sex scenes (for a Korean movie), Marriage is, however, another Korean romance with the characteristic qualities. (I'm not going to repeat the examples I listed in my comments on Lover's Concerto (2002), another Korean romance).
The plot of Marriage remotely resembles that of Same Time Next Year (1978) which in turn was adapted from a Neil Simon play, I believe. The resemblance however is only superficial.
In Marriage, they meet at a blind date, at the introduction of a mutual friend. He is, however, not a callow youth, nor she a blushing maiden. The first date winds up in a hotel room, as they jump into bed the instant they close the door.
As the story unfolds, we see more of the personalities behind the two pleasant looking faces. He is a happy-go-lucky, flirty part-time professor, financially insecure and still living with his parents. Fascinatingly all at once both coy and coquettish, she has a mind of her own, seeking romance but not forgetting financial security. While he shuns any relationship that threatens to become a permanent commitment, she ponders over pursuing such a relationship with him which will likely lead to a life of insufficiency, if not outright poverty.
We see there relationship evolve, along a mildly rocky path, until she marries a medical doctor, for obvious reasons. Taking a slight turn, their relationship continues, as they jointly rent an apartment and share whatever time she can snatch from her conventional life. This becomes somewhat reminiscent of Oskar Werner's Interlude (1968), but with his and her role reversed. We see how they gradually come to a realisation that while they have all this time tried to play cool, they care for each other more than they are ready to admit.
It is interesting to observe that by the end of the movie, she has not changed much, knowing what she wants, knowing what she can handle, as she had been right from the beginning. He, on the other hand, has lost much of the carefree self-assurance, worn down by increasing consciousness of his own financial inadequacy.
For people who have enjoyed the Korean romance genre, Marriage is an interesting variation that brings something new, but at the same time staying within the familiar grounds. Certainly recommended.
Those familiar with the Korean romance that is getting more and more global attention may or may not agree with what I say about Marriage Is A Crazy Thing. On the surface, Marriage seems to be very different from other movies in this genre where a kiss would often seem too explicit an expression of love. Underneath the somewhat shocking explicit sex scenes (for a Korean movie), Marriage is, however, another Korean romance with the characteristic qualities. (I'm not going to repeat the examples I listed in my comments on Lover's Concerto (2002), another Korean romance).
The plot of Marriage remotely resembles that of Same Time Next Year (1978) which in turn was adapted from a Neil Simon play, I believe. The resemblance however is only superficial.
In Marriage, they meet at a blind date, at the introduction of a mutual friend. He is, however, not a callow youth, nor she a blushing maiden. The first date winds up in a hotel room, as they jump into bed the instant they close the door.
As the story unfolds, we see more of the personalities behind the two pleasant looking faces. He is a happy-go-lucky, flirty part-time professor, financially insecure and still living with his parents. Fascinatingly all at once both coy and coquettish, she has a mind of her own, seeking romance but not forgetting financial security. While he shuns any relationship that threatens to become a permanent commitment, she ponders over pursuing such a relationship with him which will likely lead to a life of insufficiency, if not outright poverty.
We see there relationship evolve, along a mildly rocky path, until she marries a medical doctor, for obvious reasons. Taking a slight turn, their relationship continues, as they jointly rent an apartment and share whatever time she can snatch from her conventional life. This becomes somewhat reminiscent of Oskar Werner's Interlude (1968), but with his and her role reversed. We see how they gradually come to a realisation that while they have all this time tried to play cool, they care for each other more than they are ready to admit.
It is interesting to observe that by the end of the movie, she has not changed much, knowing what she wants, knowing what she can handle, as she had been right from the beginning. He, on the other hand, has lost much of the carefree self-assurance, worn down by increasing consciousness of his own financial inadequacy.
For people who have enjoyed the Korean romance genre, Marriage is an interesting variation that brings something new, but at the same time staying within the familiar grounds. Certainly recommended.