Mother (2009)

Director: Joon Ho Bong

Starring: Hye-ja Kim, Won Bin, Goo Jin

A mother desperately searches for the killer who framed her son for a girl’s horrific murder.

‘Mother’ is a bit slow moving but nevertheless captivating. This is an interesting study of how far a mother would go to prove her son’s innocence, and how her attitude changes as she learns more. The viewer learns the evidence as the mother does, and it was interesting to see the mystery unfold.  Hye-ja Kim was excellent as Mother!

Korean movies are known for their unpredictability and this film certainly is no different. There’s a shocking turn of events in the final act. Well done!

‘Mother’ won several awards including Best Actress (Hye-ja Kim), Best Cinematography, Best Film, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best International Film. In addition to 38 awards won, it received a further 43 nominations in various categories.

In Korean.