The Way Home (Jibeuro) 2002

     Seven-year-old Sang-woo and his mother ride more than one bus on their way to visit his grandmother.  She lives in a remote South Korean village and she’s very poor.  Sang-woo has been living in the city, his father has left them and his mother had a store but she lost it.  She is asking her mother to take care of Sang-woo for about two months so she can find a job.  Sang-woo doesn’t know anything about poverty or living in the country.  He doesn’t have any respect for his elders and he treats his grandmother badly even though she is doing her best.  He’s angry, he throws food, has tantrums, cries and he steals her hair ornament to try to get batteries for his video game.  She doesn’t deserve any of this, she is very elderly, stooped over and doesn’t speak.

     I don’t know how his grandmother could have so much kindness and patience?  I thought about giving a lot of spankings, taking his things away for a time and going to bed early a lot!!  Maybe her way is best because he does begin to soften.  3 ½* (I liked this movie) 

80 min, Drama directed by Jeong-hyang Lee with Seung-Ho Yoo, Eul-boon Kim, Hyo-hee Dong, Kyung-hyun Min, Eun-Kyung Yim.

 

Note:  Imdb 7.8 out of 10, 75% critic 92% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 10 reviews.

Special Note:  Eul-boon Kim, the actress playing the grandmother had never seen a movie before taking this role.  This movie was filmed in Jeetongma, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea.