Im Sang-soo, the director of controversial films such as “A Good Lawyer's Wife”, “The Housemaid” and of course “The President's Last Bang” making a life-affirming buddy road movie featuring two unlikely fugitives? Stranger things have happened in the last few years but thankfully, “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness” is among the surprises of the pleasant variety.
“Heaven: To the Land of Happiness” is screening at Asian Pop-up Cinema
Nam-sik works as an orderly at a hospital where he steals expensive medicines for his Fabry's disease. On the day that he is found out to be stealing, he meets Prisoner 203, an elderly inmate who has been brought to the hospital, where he is told that his brain tumor has worsened and that he has no more than two weeks left. As Nam-sik accompanies 203 to the toilet, he witnesses the inmate attempting an escape and, with his own freedom at stake with management and police almost on him, he helps 203 make his escape in a hearse. As the two fugitives make a run across the country to see 203's estranged daughter before he dies, they are chased by bumbling police and a couple gangster-types who are keen to get the coffin that's in the hearse back for some reason.
Im Sang-soo, who is best known for provocative works that generate heavy discussions, takes inspiration from the 1997 German production “Knockin' on Heaven's Door” to write and direct a feature that is different to the other works in his oeuvre. By his own admission, the project stemmed from his producers' request to produce something that has a wider appeal and makes money. In that sense, “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness” succeeds by keeping a light-hearted, humorous tone throughout. Though it is primarily about fugitives on the run, both of them with life-threatening health issues, the feature focuses more on the developing friendship between the two, which results in several humorous moments throughout.
Despite its general cheerful tone, Im Sang-soo has somber thoughts on his mind too, specifically about death and the decisions one takes when facing a ticking clock. For some, it is throwing caution to the wind and going along with a fugitive. For some, it is about seeing their beloved one last time and for yet for others, it is all about money, even to their last breath. The script finds a good balance between the fun and the somber, with the chase sequences and scenes involving several characters being tased ever so often being among the most entertaining.
Even with Im's name attached and the interesting premise, Choi Min-sik's involvement was always going to be the biggest pull for this project and his presence does not disappoint. The veteran actor rarely puts a foot wrong and this is no exception, with Choi going through a journey of emotions with Prisoner No 203. His comic timing too is immaculate and comes very naturally and one must wonder if a physical comedy gag he does with a watermelon was intentional or a coincidence.
The narrative rests heavily on the budding friendship, and indeed, dependency between 203 and Nam-sik and thankfully, Choi shares a joyful chemistry with the ever-reliable Park Hae-il who plays Nam-sik, which is a treat to watch. Elsewhere, Yoon Jae-moon as the bumbling cop at the receiving end of the taser guns most of the time brings the laughs and, in an inspired bit of writing and casting, Im Sang-soo regular Youn Yuh-jung steals the few scenes she cameos in as a dying mob boss.
Road movies often equal gorgeous locations and this one takes us through beautiful South Korean countryside, lush with tall green trees, vast fields and clean, blue beaches. When not travelling, Kim Tae-kyung's cinematography follows the standards one expects from Korean blockbusters, keeping lighting the picture as brightly as 203 wants to live out the rest of his few days. A particular aerial shot at the beach and another in a large forest-like region with tall trees all around are noteworthy for their awe-inspiring capabilities.
There is something to be said about the sheer predictability of the storyline and about the ending, which feels all too abrupt, but Im Sang-soo's latest, an official selection for 2020's cancelled Cannes Film Festival and the opening film for 2021's Busan Film Festival, is a fun road movie/odd-couple flick that should enjoy a healthy film festival run and, like the producer's intended, should hopefully prove to be a relative box office success. Be sure to go on this road trip!
