Occasionally here in Asian Movie Pulse, we joke about Hong Sang-soo films, that maybe we should also have the same review written once, and just change it a bit every time a new movie of his comes out. The fact remains though, that his success in the festival circuit continues, with “By the Stream” winning an award in Locarno (as usual), this time for Kim Min-hee, as the Best Performance in the international competition.
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This time, there is more of a script here, a more concrete basis where all the eating, drinking and talking revolves around. Jeon-im is a lecturer at a Seoul’s women’s college and a textiles artist, who, as the movie begins, has invited her uncle, former actor and director Si-eon, in order to devise a theatrical skit for the remaining members of a troupe from her Western Art class to perform at the end of the semester. The previous professor in charge, Jun-woo, was exiled in disgrace since he managed to date three of the original 7 members of the troupe, although he actually does appear again as the movie unfolds, continuing to ‘torment’ his former students and Jeon-im.
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In an intriguing parallel, Si-eon has also been canceled following a scandal in the industry, and is now running a bookstore in Gangneung, by the sea. It seems, however, that he still has fans around, with Jeon-im’s mentor, Jeong, also a professor in the university, being one of them. The middle-aged woman flirts “shamelessly” with her idol, and soon, and quite expectedly, the three of them start spending more and more time together, eating and drinking in various locations. At the same time, the preparations for the skit continue, while the students soon join the ‘party’.
Evidently, this is not exactly an intriguing story, but the fact remains that there is definitely more substance here than many of Hong Sang-soo’s recent works. Particularly the way the relationships between Si-eon and the two protagonists unfold add an intriguing element, especially after the flirting between Si-eon and Professor Jeong starts progressing, and Jeon-im seems to be somewhat jealous of the fact.
At the same time, the comments presented are also interesting. The whole concept of canceling is highlighted through an approach that showcases that it should be examined case-by-case and not as a whole, where anyone who is accused is immediately ostracized. Furthermore, Hong connects it quite smartly with one of his regular motifs, of presenting men as creeps, although this time, his main protagonist, who usually mirrors himself in some capacity, is more absolved than accused. The discussion about Si-eon’s divorce with his wife, and the way he proceeds with Jeong is indicative of this tendency.
Furthermore, the movie deals with the concept of art essentially outside of art itself, with the reactions of the audience towards it, the way a stage play is designed and implemented, and the whole concept of canceling and what happens behind the scenes in general being quite central here. The reaction of the audience to the skit and what follows are indicative of this element.
Apart from these, the majority of Hong’s regular tropes are all here. The constant eating and drinking, the drunk conversations that begin as profound but frequently turn into pompous buffoonery, and the sudden zoom-ins, which are, though, quite toned down (just two if I am not mistaken). His regular cast is also present, with Kim Min-hee as Jeon-im playing the ‘third wheel’ wonderfully, while her heated interactions with Jun-woo are the highlight of her performance. The initial sequence in particular is one of the rare occasions in recent HHS productions, that the tension becomes palpable, as both characters are obviously aggravated, with the chemistry between Kim and Ha Seong-guk who plays Jun-woo being excellent. Kwon Hae-hyo as Si-eon is also quite good as a somewhat bitter but hopeful and grateful for the chance he got from his loving niece man, with this chemistry also being rather good. Lastly, Jo Yoon-hee as Professor Jeong plays to perfection the fan who will not lose her chance, with the scene where she boasts on how much money she has saved being rather indicative.
Hong Sang-soo’s own cinematography follows a realistic style that occasionally borders on the documentary, with his framing being exceptional as always, particularly in the way it shows the distance or the proximity among the characters. His editing retains a mid to slow tempo, which allows the eating and drinking discussions to unfold leisurely, while, even at 111 minutes, “By the Stream” does not feel long.
Although not straying particularly from his trademark style, I feel that there is a bit more substance in “By the Stream” than usual, in terms of story and context, which perhaps could signify a turn towards more narrative-driven productions in the future. Whoever appreciates HHS style, though, will definitely appreciate this one too.
