by Michaela Oikonomou
“Hope” was director Lee Joon-ik's comeback after a brief two-year hiatus (Battlefield Heroes, 2011). It also won Best Film at the 34th Blue Dragon awards. The script is based on a true story of an 8-year-old girl named Na-young, who was beaten and raped by a drunk 57-year-old man, in a public bathroom.
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The story begins with an ordinary family living in a small town, owning a grocery store named after their daughter So-won (Lee Re), whose name means «hope». The father (Sol Kyung-gu) and the mother (Uhm Ji-won) are highly overworked and as a result, their cheerful, free-spirited child is often on her own, playing and watching television. That ordinary happy life of hers suddenly changes, due to a heinous act. One day while going to school, So-won is followed by a drunk old man (Gang Seong-hae). That meeting of theirs, finds the little girl in a construction site, where she ends up brutally beaten and raped. She is rushed into a hospital, with the parents left to cope not only with the physical and mental pain, but also, with the legal process of serving justice.
“Hope” is not a movie for everyone due to the cruelty depicted, especially during the rape scene. Lee Joon-ik, however, presents the difficult subject matter with a gentle approach, not showing anything very graphic, respecting little So-won in her most vulnerable moment. The life-changing event makes the feelings that surface difficult to digest. How could you heal a scar like So-won's? Despite the film being devastatingly sad, there are some scenes that are cheerful and joyful, allowing the audience to cope with the family's distress. Also, the story strays away from the typical mother-daughter bond, which is somewhat absent, because the mom withdraws herself in order to heal, as she deals with an ongoing pregnancy.
Furthermore, it is filled with outstanding performances that lead to an emotional roller-coaster ride that unveils for two-hours long. Taking the reins in her own hands, the 7-year-old at that time Lee Re, gives an unforgettable performance, both somewhat comical and dramatic, especially in the difficult hospital scene. In addition, Sol Kyung-gu in one of his finest career moments, wins the audience with his acting skills and this led him to receive the award of Best Actor at Baeksang Art awards in 2014. A very powerful scene takes place when the dad, who is desperately trying to reconnect with his scarfaced child, who is negatively affected by male figures, is trying to undress her and change her into other clothes.
As the story progresses, the well written script emerges as one of the best traits here. Screenwriters Kim Ji-hye and Jo Joong-hoon mix the pain and joy of human suffering into a movie about mental healing and family bonding. Apart from this, the gentle pacing implemented by Lee's direction builds up almost imperceptibly in a way that delivers the tension exactly as required. The difficulty of the subject, as well as the simplicity in direction and the necessary dramatic emotional close-ups, define the whole title.
“Hope” is definitely a heart-wrecking film, with the fact that it is based on an actually story making its impact even more intense. Lee Joon-ik, however achieves a great balance in order for the viewer to understand the particularly family hardships as much as the physical and mental adventure that So-won experienced.
