Having made her directorial debut with the short film “Dawn to Dawn” in 2018, director Lim Jeong-eun's first feature-length project, “Our Midnight”, premiered at last year's Busan International Film Festival. The emerging Korean filmmaker delivers a sombre critique of modern working life with a reflective film that delves into the struggles of turning your dreams into success.
“Our Midnight” is screening at the Florence Korea Film Fest
Ji-Hoon (Lee Seung-hun) is a struggling actor whose failing career is starting to catch up with him. Prompted into action by the departure of his fed-up girlfriend, he seeks work through an old acting friend who has him patrolling the streets of Seoul. This new job leads to Ji-Hoon having a chance meeting with the similarly troubled Eun-young (Park Seo-eun). The two become closer as they take a stroll through the quiet city streets at night.
Ji-Hoon's dilemma of whether to chase his dreams or give up and get a ‘normal' job is one that audiences will find familiar, yet Lim presents it more ambiguously than you might expect. The not-so-young actor is surrounded by former friends who all look pessimistically upon their corporate career-driven lives, with one even drunkenly stating his “life's over” now that he's about to be married. In this sense Ji-Hoon, is free, having retained his drive and passion for acting. However, these same friends need to pay for Ji-Hoon's drinks, as he cannot afford them himself. The two sides of his predicament are presented equally, and by the end of the film, it's still no clearer as to what he should do.
Lim offers up a pretty bleak image of modern life, with passion, morality, and dignity all being sacrificed for the promise of a bigger pay cheque. Ji-Hoon steps in to defend one woman who has been tricked into losing her job, yet she berates his intervention as it could result in less severance pay. What should be a typically heroic moment for our protagonist is instead undercut by the harsh realities of the working world. Even the job Ji-Hoon eventually lands, as a member of a patrol team performing a secret study regarding suicides in Seoul, is devoid of empathy. “I know how you feel”, he's told to say if he comes across someone attempting to take their life, an instruction he's given during a far too light-hearted meeting that further highlights the amoral approach of corporations regarding people's lives.
Also caught up in this heartless world is Eunyoung, who Ji-Hoon, fortunately, meets during one of his patrols. Let down by her employers who'd rather not kick up a fuss than deal with her serious personal issue; she too is a victim of the system, just another statistic to the faceless suits that have the final say. Upon meeting, the two find common ground in their disassociation with contemporary life, and their seemingly pointless conversations, as they roam the city at night, allow them to enjoy some much-needed respite. It's during this quieter and more meditative portion of the film that we too find comfort, before an extremely cathartic finale, the nature of which I shall not spoil here.
Ironically, Lee Seung-hun plays the role of a failing actor extremely well and is the heart and soul of the film. He has the haggard look of a one-time dreamer who's on the cusp of being totally jaded, yet feigns optimism throughout. Alongside him is the excellent Park Seo-eun, whose subtle movements and downtrodden demeanour paint her as an appropriately vulnerable character. The two have a handful of monologues between them, some of which are a little more meandering than others, but all backed by strong performances.
The normally bright and colourful capital city of Seoul is drained of its charm here, with the gorgeous black and white cinematography matching the stark tone of the film. Together with the slow and intimate camerawork, Lim makes up for what at times can be a stagnant narrative by implementing a relaxing rhythm to the direction. The minimal use of score also helps to accentuate the isolating atmosphere that surrounds the leading characters.
“Our Midnight” is a thoughtful and heartfelt film, which is made all the more impressive given that it's Lim Jeong-eun's first feature. The director shares her unique perspective on the modern world through her distinct cinematic approach and makes her voice heard through sympathetic characters. While offering no clear answer as to whether you should pursue your passion, Lim's project, at the very least, highlights the directionless-ness felt by many in today's society.
