First time director Yong Soo has taken over the challenging task of turning a highly unoriginal story into a commercial success but with the powerful safety net of a strong cast, two top leading actors and a top production. What can possibly go wrong? He half-succeedes in his mission but still manages to deliver an entertaining comedy.
“Man of Men” is screening at Florence Korean Film Festival 2020
The plot follows two characters that couldn't be more different and what happens when, for a turn of events, their paths cross. Garishly dressed, half looser / half gangster Yeong-gi (Cho Jin-woong) is so full of himself that he refuses to acknowledge the underworld pool where he swims is fast changing around him. Coming from a very humble upbringing, he supports his younger brother' studies and is an eternal dreamer of a better (and richer) future; however, you cannot say he is gifted with business acumen. Together with his best friend Dae-Guk (Jin Seon-Kyu), they have been working under the same boss for a very long time, but Yeong-gi sees many young, smart-dressed newcomers climbing the ranks faster than him. Until one day, the two fools try their luck investing part of the boss's money in a disastrous stock exchange transaction, hence big troubles ahead!
Meanwhile, former cut-throat lawyer Jang-su (Sol Kyung-gu) is preparing for his departure. The wealthy man is tetraplegic as a result of a car accident and also terminally ill. He refuses palliative treatments and with the help of his assistant Eun-ha (Kim Sa-rang) is liquidating his law firm from the room of a peaceful and exclusive hospice. When Yeong-gi is involved in the umpteen fight resulting in disruption and injuries, the court orders him to do several hours of community service in the hospice where Jang-su is staying and – guess what – he is assigned to help the dying lawyer. After a difficult start, Jang-su decides to make Yeong-gi the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy at one condition: he must help him to fulfil his bucket list.
If you are pondering if you might have seen this film before, the answer is yes, many times. There is a long list of films that explores and exploit the odd friendship between an end-of-life person and a troubled-life person, not last a French movie-turned-quasi-franchise that I will not mention here. But commercial cinema loves repetitions and the public loves playing pattern-recognition as long as quality is preserved somewhere. To save the day in “Man of Men” is not the general script that barely stays afloat, but the excellence of the two leaders' performances.
Like many South Korean good commercial successes, even and especially – considering the subject matter – “Man of Men” doesn't stay away from sentimentality and tears but the energetic comedy that sparks from the clash of the two leads manages to push the film decently until the end. Seeing Yeong-gi downplaying Jang-su's condition, waking up with hungover in bed with him, pushing him in a shopping trolley while casually buying pot noodles is downright funny. Comic tempo is on point and aided by the excellent tech crew.
Jin Seon-Kyu is, in my opinion, one of the best South Korean actors out there and his trademark half smile and attitude are perfectly cast here. Same goes for Cho Jin-woong, even if his character doesn't shine for originality. There is an additional anecdotal layer to this movie that will be probably missed by a foreign audience, but it is an interesting thing to highlight. The story of “Man of Men” is set in Busan and people from Busan have a reputation for being brassy and carelessly speaking their mind but at the same time also for being good-hearted and fundamentally honest. Basically, it is the stereotype the character of Yeong-gi is based upon. Moreover, this is even stronger as Cho Jin-woong himself is from Busan and very well known for similar roles, and this is the kind of thing that is bound to resonate a lot with the local public. The supporting cast is good too and there are plenty of familiar actors, like the “Extreme Job”‘s star Jin Seon-Kyu and Heo Jun-Ho in the role of the gangster boss.
On a negative note, I can say that “Man of Men” is a very male-centric story; nothing wrong with it (this is said by a Hong Kong Bromance, Brotherhood of blood movie fun) but sadly someone there felt an irresistible urge to add a female character, just for the sake of it. This figure, former Miss Korea Kim Sa-rang, is clearly completely unnecessary and is just like a “potiche”, a beautiful vase on the mantelpiece. Honestly, that could have been avoided at once, either scrapping the role (maybe the most sensible choice) or writing a proper female character.
All in all, “Man of Men” delivers what promises and it's a watchable popcorn movie to be enjoyed for its two protagonists and for its two hours of mindless laughter.
