The Quiet

Amazon.com

High school cheerleader Nina Deer (Elisha Cuthbert) seems like the ultimate bitch in The Quiet. When Paul and Olivia Deer (Martin Donovan and Edie Falco) invite their deaf and mute godchild, Dot (Camilla Belle) to live with the family following the death of Dot's father, Nina plays Dot's evil stepsister. Dot silently persists as household dynamics unfold nightmarishly around her, revealing an unsavory affair that leaves the mother reaching for her bottle of painkillers. The more Nina reveals her secret fantasy to Dot, however, the more Dot feels compelled to step in. Director Jamie Babbit's film is rich with sexual confusion and sick psychology, making The Quiet surprisingly complex. Though Elisha Cuthbert's performance is strong, it is still a slowly paced film, and the sets, like dark, moody blue rooms in the Deer house, add unneeded melodrama. Still, The Quiet is a thriller about teen girls bonded to commit a heinous crime, and many will appreciate this variation on the tale of young female chivalry against monstrosity. --Trinie Dalton

Product Description

This erotic and suspenseful tale of sex, lies and betrayal stars Elisha Cuthbert (The Girl Next Door) as Nina Deer, a pretty cheerleader whose life is turned upside-down by the arrival of her parents' godchild Dot (Camilla Belle), a deaf and mute girl recently orphaned by her father's death. Although Nina looks upon Dot's deafness with disdain, her family and friends develop a strange attraction to her, and Dot soon becomes a sounding board for everyone's heaviest burdens. But when Nina becomes convinced that Dot is hiding a few secrets of her own, she decides to confess a family secret so disturbing, it cannot be ignored. Also starring Martin Donovan and Edie Falco (TV's The Sopranos).

Customer Reviews:

Not What You'd Expect.......2007-09-15

At first glance, "The Quiet" appears to be the same pseudo-psychological thriller starring the hottest cast of teenagers around. It's actually quite far from that. It's a film that's part John Waters part David Lynch, but without the class of the latter and the humor of former. It's unlike anything that I've seen in this kind of film for a long time. It stars the super-talented Camilla Belle as Dot, a deaf and mute girl who is taken in by her godparents (Martin Donovan & Edie Falco) when her father dies. Her new sister Nina (Elisha Cuthbert), a beautiful, 17-year-old cheerleader hates her. Because of her problems, Dot is immediately labeled a freak and social outcast. It's clear, obvious really, from the beginning that Dot is hiding a secret or two. Same with Nina, although it doesn't take you long to figure out exactly what's going on with that. Now this is a twisted film that isn't aimed at the teenage audience most of these films are aimed at. It's looking for an adult audience as it deals with a lot of sexual topics (indeed, 75% of the dialogue is sexual in nature), incest, murder, and a whole jubilee of other weird stuff. One thing "The Quiet" captures well is the way teenagers talk. Sex is a touchy subject among teenagers in movies, while sex here is completely unhibited. A lot of the dialouge though is stuff that teenagers think and wouldn't actually say. "The Quiet" could have been a bigger hit with critics (with this subject matter, it would've never been a box-office hit) if the material was handled better. This is familar material, but it's not usually handled in major motion pictures...And the writers have clearly been watching too many soap operas. Falco, a talented actress, as Nina's mother is the stereotypical pill-popping mother we see in at least 10 movies each year. Donovan, as the father, seems to have based his performance upon Stellan Skarsgaard in "The Glass House" and it's not a stretch to say Falco seems to have got inspiration from Diane Lane in that same film. "The Quiet" does stray away from other stereotypes like the "happy ending." The bad guys essentially get away in this film...But it makes a lot of mistakes along the way and many "serious" scenes border on parody. The director messed up too by filming a few scenes here-and-there with a different camera, giving it a cheap straight-to-video look. "The Quiet" will surprise you when you pop it in and find out it's not the sister-sequel to "When a Stranger Calls" and then they'll be pissed when they don't know if they're supposed to be shocked or crying with laughter.

GRADE: C+

Depressing but engrossing.......2007-08-09

Dot (Camilla Belle), an introverted deaf/mute girl moves in with her godparents after her dad gets killed. Not a welcome change to her new godsister, Nina (Elisha Cuthbert), who wants nothing to do with this "freak" at home or school, where she is a popular cheerleader. Dot tries to keep to herself, but she soon becomes a confession magnet due to her deafness to those who feel the need to get things off their chest to someone, but without the repercussions of revealing their secrets. Unfortunately for pretty much everyone in this movie, nothing is as it seems, and their actions lead to events that will tragically change the lives of those involved.

This is defintely one of those movies where you will thank your lucky stars if you have even a semblance of a good family life after watching. Dark, colorless and depressing to be sure, but surreally beautiful at the same time. Performances are excellent from all involved, particularly Belle's demure turn and Cuthbert, who has successfully increased her skills since the shaky 24 days.

A Stinker!.......2007-07-26

This movie was so obviously a stinker. Hey guys, were we watching the same movie?? Between the virtually non-existent plot to the incredibly poor acting this movie just never got off the ground for me. Like some of the other reviewers, I was attracted to the movie because of Elisha Cuthbert who is stunning and can act (I loved her work in the 24 series) However, even her dialogue is purile in this bomb. While these themes could have been the basis for an interesting movie, it fails in almost every respect. I am being generous with the one star.

Disturbing Story: Extremely Well Made Movie.......2007-07-20

Now this is one of the sickest and most disturbing storylines I've come across. But, if you fight your urges of disgust and sit through the whole movie and judge the movie, not the story, you'll realize what a powerful and extremely well made movie this is. This is sure to haunt you for weeks after watching. But that is testament to how well the movie is made.

Camilla Belle is simply awesome in portraying Dot. Elisha Cutbert also shows that she can indeed act (you'll know what I mean if you've seen her previous movies). You'll keep hearing the music of the movie long after it done. So please watch and enjoy this wonderful movie before judging it on it's creepy story. You'll talk about the quiet after the storm with your friends once you've watched this.

Quiet Desperation.......2007-06-25

"Nina Deer's life is infused with sex. At school, she is attached at the hip to her best friend Michelle, a girl who is seemingly unable to talk about anyone without announcing that she wants to "f*ck him," or demanding that know if Nina thinks he wants to do the same to her. At home, meanwhile, it's clear that Nina is being sexually abused by her father, a fact that dominates virtually every moment of her life. With Michelle, she plays the part of the easily-shocked, virginal friend." Martha Fischer

Dot, who is played by Camilla Belle, father dies, and she's left alone and sent to live with her godparents and their only child, Nina. Dot is deaf like her father, and also refuses to speak, and communicates through sign language and lip-reading. Nina is everything Dot isn't, she is blonde and popular. Her new sister is a nightmare. Not only will Dot not speak, but she is uninterested in engaging in the school structure. She wants to be alone, and is turned off by the mad rush around her. As she explains in a voice over, Dot is completely whole only when alone. Nina treats Dot with the same disgust with which she views both her parents and herself. Her father is sexually abusing her, and her mother, played by Edie Falco, is popping pills. Edie Falco does not need to take these kind of roles, she was sleepwalking throughout the film. It's not long before the silent girl becomes her confidant. Nina whispers sexually explicit stories in the middle of the school cafeteria, unburdening herself. "Telling Dot, she reasons, is like screaming herself raw in an empty room: No on hears but she feels better, if only for a moment." The tragedy of the film is that everything about the movie is slightly awry, and I was left with flat emotion.

"At times, it's difficult to watch The Quiet, because a group of actors are giving their all -- albeit entirely unsuccessfully -- to a small, possibly controversial film in which they clearly believe. Over and over again, I was reminded of the Bruce Willis disaster Color of Night, another film whose emotional power over its audience was horrendously overestimated by its creators. While The Quiet is by no means as bad as Color of Night, it shares with that film a tremendous seriousness about its own purpose, and a tragic misunderstanding of its relationship with an audience that, more often than not, is left laughing when it should be gasping." Susan Reid

I tried to find some redeeming qaulity in this film. "The Quiet" is a film that has been done before, and this film shows us that there is a fine line at times between a great film and one that tries too hard.

Recommended Warily. prisrob 6-25-07

Average customer rating:

Good for toddlers
Nope, Pointless
Quiet Time great for quiet time
Sweet Dreams
Sesame Street-Quiet Time

Sesame Street - Quiet Time
Starring: Carlo Alban , Alan Arkin , Paul Benedict , Larry Block , and Lexine Bondoc
Director: Jim Henson , Jim Martin , Randall Balsmeyer , Victor DiNapoli , and Ken Diego
Manufacturer: Sesame Street
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009W0TY
Release Date: 2003-08-05

Description

Big Bird loves to sing and dance and play, but when his Granny Bird tells him it's "quiet time," he's not sure what to do. Fortunately, Oscar, Telly, Rosita and his other Sesame Street friends have plenty of great ideas, like reading stories, playing quiet games and more. And guest artist Daphne Rubin-Vega joins Big Bird to sing a special "quiet time" song. So come along to Sesame Street, where quiet time is fun time too!

Customer Reviews:

Good for toddlers.......2007-06-27

THis video is entertaining. Not as great as other Sesame STreet, but good. My toddler loves singing with little talking. This does the trick

Nope, Pointless.......2006-12-27

I thought this would be a movie for my son to watch during quiet time, but it ends up being as loud as the others! It gave good suggestions for what kids could do during quiet time... I guess since they wouldn't want to watch the movie again...

They say kids stop watching when they are confused. My son apparently got confused, or bored, after only a couple of minutes!

We'll hold onto it and maybe he'll like it in a few years :-)

Quiet Time great for quiet time.......2004-12-29

I originally checked this video out from the library along w/ several other SS videos. My son (2 yrs) loves it, and even says "night night" to Bert when he goes to bed. Although this video is much more low key than others, it keeps his attention all the way through and I've found it to be a good way to calm my son down before bed or a nap. He also loves singing along (in his way) to the songs.

Sweet Dreams.......2000-06-21

Both of our children (we have a girl 19 months and boy 3 years with Down Syndrome), will watch from finish to start. We have incorporated it into our nap/bedtime routines. Quiet Time is still as entertaining as the other Sesame Street videos, so they watch it, but it is a little more calming then the others. We give it two tiny thumbs up.

Sesame Street-Quiet Time.......2000-06-21

This video helps explain the concept of quiet time to young children. While the video itself is not always quiet, it demonstrates the differences between doing something quietly and loudly and it is extremely entertaining. It suggests several quiet time activities that can be fun and entertaining. My two year old loved watching the video, and, as with most Sesame Street videos, learned something as well.

Average customer rating:

Good flick!
Underrated action gem
FIRST MOVIE WITH JAMES REMAR AS A GOOD GUY!
The Best I've Seen!
Better than usual action film with good action & great music

Quiet Cool
Starring: Daphne Ashbrook , Nick Cassavetes , Adam Coleman Howard , Jared Martin , and James Remar
Director: Clay Borris
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000G8NXQO
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Description

Hardcore New York City cop Joe Dylanne (James Remar, The Warriors, Sex and the City) is out of the city and in the middle of a nightmarish death trap in this action-packed thriller! When former girlfriend Kate (Daphne Ashbrook, The O.C.) calls in desperation, Joe travels to a deceptively quiet Northern California town to investigate the disappearance of her brother and sister-in-law. He learns from Kate's nephew, Joshua, that the two were brutally murdered by a ruthless ring of marijuana growers. Determined to seek his revenge, Joshua is engaged in a one-man guerrilla war against the thugs. But when Kate is killed in the crossfire, Joe and Joshua join forces for a final explosive confrontation that only one side can win! From an electrifying motorcycle chase through the subways of New York to a shattering climax deep in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Quiet Cool roars hellbent for action... and revenge!

Customer Reviews:

Good flick!.......2007-03-14

I saw this back when it first came out and recently bought it after finding out it was on dvd. It has that typical 80's vibe to it, but it is a good movie. James Remar is actually a good guy in this one! Check it out.

Underrated action gem.......2006-07-08

Where to begin? James Remar as a good guy? From the moment he picked up his barbell and did one press before throwing it down in conclusion, I knew this was a different kind of action film. It doesn't have the rhythm of most shoot em ups. Remar's character, while definitely a hero, endures a lot of physical abuse before acheiving a victory. And you will never guess who the main heavy is. It's almost as if we are discovering the secrets of this crime ring along with Remar. I am really glad this is finally coming out on DVD. Aren't you?

FIRST MOVIE WITH JAMES REMAR AS A GOOD GUY!.......2000-04-15

I saw this movie in the late 1980's and it was not too bad. I was surprised to find out who was in charge of the drug operation at the end. The music was pretty good and so was some of the action. I like the bar scene with Remar and that fat jerk, that was kind of funny! Oh, the lead actor James Remar was on 48 Hrs and the Rennassiance Man with Danny Devito. It's just hard to picture James Remar as the good guy, because he has always played the bad guy one movies...kind of like John Travolta's action movies.

The Best I've Seen!.......1999-03-10

I Love It! Action Packed and full of excitement!I love the story outline!!!Yum Yum marijuana! Love your niece; Tina Borris.

Better than usual action film with good action & great music.......1999-02-14

Little seen action film with James Remar taking revenge on the pot growers who killed his girlfriend and her family. He teams up with her brother and takes them out. Worth seeing for the good action scenes, ruthless villians, terrific music score, and a very unusual setting in a forest town in northern California. Watch out for the motorcycle vs. rollerskate chase in the beginning of the film and the catchy title tune at the end of the film.

Average customer rating:

Must See!

The Quiet Family
Starring: Choe Min-sik , Go Ho-kyung , Ji Su-won , Lee Ki-yeong , and Lee Yeon-sung
Director: Kim Ji-un
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E3LGKQ
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Customer Reviews:

Must See!.......2006-04-12

THE QUIET FAMILY is an intelligent, hilarious dark comedy that shows how lifes sort of runs away from you. The cast is talented, and the ensemble is just varied enough to give you a "Royal Tenenbaums" mix of quirkiness. Definitely one of the best Korean horror comedies out there...catch Oldboy's Choi Min Sik as the "simple" son!

Average customer rating:

A beautiful, engrossing film which may be a masterpiece
The French Are A Mess
Compelling, sad, beautiful
Powerful Drama

The Town Is Quiet
Starring: Ariane Ascaride , Jean-Pierre Darroussin , Gérard Meylan , Jacques Boudet , and Christine Brücher
Director: Robert Guédiguian
Manufacturer: New Yorker Video
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ASIN: B000088UZ2
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com

This sprawling French film examines the economically depressed and racially divided city of Marseilles with a network of intersecting characters, each struggling toward happiness or, at least, survival. At the center of these overlapping stories is Michele, who works all night packing fish, only to come home to a drug-addicted daughter, a sullen unemployed husband, and an infant grandchild. Her efforts to help her daughter connect her in different ways to Gerard, a gangster's right-hand man (who is also the movie's most compassionate character), and Paul, a taxi driver who lies to his parents about having a girlfriend. The Town Is Quiet juggles these and other narrative threads with a steady hand and a clear eye, resulting in a bleak but emotionally compelling portrait of desperation. Though the movie offers a few glimpses of hope, many viewers may find its vision too relentless to bear. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful, engrossing film which may be a masterpiece.......2005-12-23

Leonard Maltin gives this film 2.5 stars and says inter alia "......those who like gritty human drama will probably find this a satisfactory way to spend a couple of hours".
This to me is such a misrepresentation of the quality of this film as to beggar belief. However, I must confess to the opinion that GWTW is one of the most bloated, overrated works of sentimental tosh to infect our screens - needless to say Mr Maltin gives that work the maximum rating and calls it "one of a kind" as if it is some kind of miracle. Additionally, I might say that THE TOWN IS QUIET has been compared to Altman's SHORT CUTS but I believe Mr Altman is one step removed from his characters, perhaps viewing them more as part of the human comedy, perhaps a little more cynical than Mr Robert Guediguian whose compassion SHINES through.
If Mr Hitchcock is correct, film is first of all an art about connecting to the viewer's emotions. THE TOWN IS QUIET does this superbly by introducing us to a number of characters who are, each in their way, struggling to find their way in the world set in Marseille. We CARE about these people, the central one being a woman whose daughter is a drug addict and husband unemployed and angry at the world. Her actions are driven by LOVE, a mother's love, a grandparent's love. Her journey is the central focus of the film but there are other characters of equal interest also with stories - some of these interact with her story. The film traverses many deeply important themes - a parent's responsibility for children; immigration; art; racism - but it is the way in which we the viewers become engrossed into the lives of the characters in this film which makes it very special. Needless to say
, the craft shown by the director, the quality of acting, the use of music, the maintenance of tone, make this a rewarding rivetting cinematic experience. Not to be missed. Moving. Outstanding work of art.

The French Are A Mess.......2005-01-24

You won't leave a viewing of this film dancing in the streets and praising French Socialism. Robert Guediguian is brutally frank about the French. These people despise Americans. Are you kidding?

We follow French citizens; maybe seven characters from different walks of life go through a week or so of deprivations. The Moslem bartender who abhors violence and racism beds down the teacher married to the womanizing Socialist politician, the do-gooder. You know how that one is going to turn out. Ariane Ascardide with the short hair-do sells her body to get heroin for her prostitute daughter. Now that's motherly love. Ariane's husband is a drunk dabbling in Fascist politics. The taxi cab driver falls for Ariane, but he's so socially retarded, he can only have a relationship with her if he pays for sex. The taxi cab driver's parents think he's in love with a nice girl. A mafia hit man is a friend from the old days with... oh; I can't get into anymore of this plot. It is complicated, but it did hold my interest. You knew something bad was going to happen. France is a mess and the director is skilled and truthful.

Compelling, sad, beautiful.......2005-01-02

AN expansive, ambitious film portraying the interconnected lives of a diverse cast of characters in the French port city of Marseille.
Visually beautiful and thematically rich, La Ville est Tranquille (The Town is Quiet) delves into issues of family life, politics, drug addiction, race relations in multicultural France and the social impacts of aggressive, corporate-driven economic reform.
Director Robert Guédiguian works with more or less the same ensemble cast in each of his films, led by wife Ariane Arascude, who plays this film's principal protagonist.
Though his work appears mournful at the ailing state of the French revolutionary tenets of Liberty, Equality and Brotherhood in his home city, the director displays passion for his subject matter. Although the lives of the film's central characters are full of sadness, as a viewer I was left with some sense of hope at its conclusion.
La Ville est Tranquille will provoke thought and debate among viewers and is an outstanding cinematic achievement.

Powerful Drama.......2002-03-09

"The Town is Quiet" is one of the most powerfull dramas I've ever seen. Even though it's been about half a year since I've seen it I'm still thinking and talking about it.
It is a movie that seems unbearable at the beggining. It seems too sad but as the story builds itself you realize how full of life this movie actually is.
The music is great: Janice Joplin songs are played at just the right time.
"The Town is Quiet" is a great achievement.

Average customer rating:

Avoid TaiSeng!!!
Interesting cultural comment
dull dull dull

The Quiet Family
Starring: In-hwan Park , Mun-hee Na , Kang-ho Song , Min-sik Choi , and Ho-kyung Go
Director: Ji-woon Kim
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000687FN
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Customer Reviews:

Avoid TaiSeng!!!.......2006-12-22

My rating is more for the DVD quality than the actual movie. The movie itself I'd give around 3.5 stars. I've seen a couple of TaiSeng release DVD's now and must say they are terrible. The TaiSeng Quiet Family version that I got was the special edition so I can't say for sure its the same as this one. But the picture quality is comparable to VHS and the subtitles are terrible. Numerous times throughout the film, the subtitles will flash on the screen for a second if that and the translation often seems to be poor. So I'd only recommend getting this if you don't mind poor quality DVD picture and you understand Korean. Otherwise, you'll probably be very detracted when watching this.

Interesting cultural comment.......2005-04-23

The thoughtfulness of the satire in this film may be lost on those seeking a cheap or violent thrill. This film is a not-so-subtle jab at Korean culture, as well as being entertaining and fun. The re-make, "Happiness of the Katakuris" is more energetic and crazy but loses the cultural insight that sets this film apart from just another 'Asian Horror Movie'.
If you enjoyed Hitchcock's "The Trouble With Harry", you will notice some similarities, right down to a few identical shots and sequences.

dull dull dull.......2004-02-24

I gave a scathing review for Takashi Miike's dreadful "Happiness of the Katakuris". Not good. It turns out that it was a remake of a Korean film, namely "The Quiet Family". While much better than the remake, the film still struggles under the weight of trying too hard to make the black humor strike home, although several moments are quite well done and elicited a minor chuckle. The basic story is a family who opens a lodge on a hiking trail and their guest keep accidentally dying off so rather than have it reflect badly on their lodge, they start hiding the bodies. THe main problem here is that its just not that funny and not at all scary which a horror/comedy should have at least one of those qualities. It left me, quite frankly, bored.

A Bittersweet Life (Standard Edition) DVD

Average customer rating:

Excellent Korean Revenge Film!
Revenge has never looked this good...Director's cut version reviewed (but not compared to Theatrical cut)
Bittersweet Review
Kim Ji-Woon just keeps getting better and better every time!
A Bittersweet Life

A Bittersweet Life (Standard Edition) DVD
Director: Kim Jee Woon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Features:

1 disc package (region 0 ntsc)

ASIN: B000HAX8ZC

Product Description

"A Bittersweet Life," starring Lee Byung-hun from "Everybody Has a Little Secret" and Shin Mina from "Madeleine," portrays the desperate and brutal revenge of Sun-woo (played by Lee) after he is expelled from his gang and comes close to being killed by his boss. Lee Byung-hun is a hitman who falls for the girlfriend of his boss in the stylishly violent "A Bittersweet Life." Conventional ideas of causation are put into doubt in director Kim Jee-woon's twist on film noire. "A Bittersweet Life (Talkomhan Insaeng)" is what Korean critics are describing as 'Action Noire.' In it, he tweaks the traditional Korean gangster story line, presenting a work with film noire undertones and stylish cinematography.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Korean Revenge Film!.......2007-08-19

I usually buy my own films and then review them later. There are only a couple reviews where I rented the film first. This is one of them, but I plan on buying this particular DVD. After reading several reviews of this film, I decided to rent it at my local video store. Some of the reviewers such as Jenny J.J.I, K. Jones and Woopak have given excellent reviews of this film, and I would recommend others to take a look at those reviews. I have recently run the gamut in viewing different genres of film as of late. From the Korean drama "The Way Home," to the Japanese romantic comedy "Train Man," and now this very violent, but highly recommended revenge film from Korea.

"A Bittersweet Life," was directed by Kim Ji-woon, and stars (Lee Byung-hun) as the character Sun-woo. Sun-woo is one vicious killer, and as the right hand man of a mob boss named Kang, (Kim Yeong-Chul) his job is to make those who displease his boss vanish. And he is very effective as the bosses enforcer. The life of Sun-woo is one of a world of violence. And in this life of violence where Sun-woo lives in there can be no mistakes. There are no second chances. Moreover, the consequences of making one can be fatal. However, we all make mistakes, and as such, so does Sun-woo. I don't wish to spoil this film for you, however, I will write that Lee Byung-hun gives a riveting performance in his role, and this is an excellent film.

Mr. Kang, has sent Sun-woo on an important mission: Find out if his mistress is cheating on him, and if so, take care of things. Does he? I won't give out details of the film that will ruin it for you, however, expect a lot of violence, as Sun-woo refuses to bend to Mr. Kang, and must endure one hell of an ordeal. End of film? No way! Sun-woo's revenge after what he endures at the hands of his Mr. Kang's minions veers the film into one violent crime drama. [But then it already was in the beginning] This is a dark world Sun-woo lives in, and so is his occupation, and as such the film delivers more than its share of violent scenes. I thought the film was great, and especially the cinematography. The ending as pointed out by others is different, but effective I believe. Sun-woo's life truly is bittersweet! This is a very good crime-noir film. Highly recommended. [Stars: 4.5]

Revenge has never looked this good...Director's cut version reviewed (but not compared to Theatrical cut).......2007-07-07

A BITTERSWEET LIFE is a dazzling neo-noir gangster film from director Kim Jae-woon(A Tale of Two Sisters). It is a pretty much a cardboard cutout example of how to make an entertaining gangster film, like the old adage goes: " If it ain't broke, don't fix it". It may not have the most original plot in existence, but believe me; it works. The film is terrific; Revenge has never looked so darned Good!

Sun-woo(Lee Byung Hun, J.S.A.) is an impeccably dressed enforcer for a notorious crimelord called Kang(Kim Yeong-Chul). Sun-woo is instructed to to watch over his mistress Hee-Soo(Sin Min-ah, Volcano High) to find out if she's making whoopee with another man. His orders are crystal clear: if he catches her cheating on Kang with another man, he is to contact Kang at once or finish them off himself.
The plot takes off when Sun-woo does catch her with her boyfriend and he decides to let them both live. This gesture of pity and goodwill brings a world of pain onto Sun-woo as the entire organization sets its goals to punishing him for his "act of betrayal". Beaten, bloodied and kicked out of the gang, Sun-woo survives the brutal ordeal. Hee-soo convinces him that he had made the right choice, and Sun-woo embarks on a brutal, bloody trail of vengeance from which no one is likely to survive. But a strange fact remains; Sun-woo has been a faithful servant to Kang for years, why would he suddenly have a change of heart? (it wasn't something as simple as love or lust, although lust may have played a small part at their meeting )

"A Bittersweet Life" is a beautiful, wholly engaging cinematic masterpiece. It blends the "hardboiled cool" of classic film noir with highly stylized action reminiscient of a John Woo film. (But not overly stylized)
Before Sun-Woo decides to ignore his boss's orders we watch as he slowly comes to an epiphany. However, we're not quite privy to the depth of this realization until the final scene of the film, in which everything that has come before soon makes simple, perfect sense. The film becomes a visceral, wall-to wall action film when Sun-woo goes against Kang; the carnage goes to overdrive. Nice touches, like a quiet moment wherein Sun-woo placidly savors a slice of chocolate cake before `going to work', adds a load of style, at the same time sets a moody atmosphere.

As brutally, violent this film is, it's quite refreshing that the filmmakers didn't lose their sense of humor. Interestingly enough, it contains a variety of comic moments interspersed throughout all the blood and gore. A Bittersweet Life can be oddly funny at times with its share of cleverly paced moments of black humor.

Lee Byung-hun does a convincing job inhabiting the character of Sun-woo. The actor brings a certain depth to his anti-hero role, which is an achievement considering that a fully-realized characterization of Sun-woo hampered by the fact that his motivations must not be revealed until the ending. Even so, Lee conveys a sense of the character's life, even if it isn't something readily apparent by the script. Viewers will have to also take into account that the film is a (Sunwoo's)character study of a person who lived most of his life in the shadow of violence which in turn may make one an empty shell. The things that most people may take forgranted may be considered so "fulfilling" to someone with Sunwoo's life.

I have the (Region-3, Korean release) 2- DISC Director's cut of A Bittersweet Life that clocks in at about 122 minutes. I cannot make a statement how it differs from the Theatrical cut since I haven't seen the "shorter" cut of the film in theaters.
PICTURE: 2.35 Anamorphic Widescreen. The transfer is very decent but not without a few flaws. There is a small amount of grain in some scenes and some heavy edge enhancements. On the plus side, it does have nice colors, accurate skin tones and strong (but detailed)black levels.
AUDIO: Korean 6.1 DTS-ES, 6.1 Dolby Digital, 2.0 surround language mix. If you're equipped, the DTS track is the way to go as it provides intense and immersive listening experience that really brings the action and gunplay to life. The 6.1 Dolby digital is not bad, but it does have a lower bass level. The English subtitles are clean and clear, very easy to read.
EXTRAS; COMMENTARIES/Interviews, Making of feature, Set/production designs, "CANNES Film Festival Footage"..many more.
IN CLOSING:
A Bittersweet Life is a visual and aural feast for its audience. Beautiful as it is, some folks may find it superficial. Thankfully, that actually seems to be based on how the film is constructed, as everything is meant to build towards the film's conclusion in which the TRUE motivation behind Sun-woo's quest for revenge is revealed. Quite visceral, sometimes lyrical and even comical, "A Bittersweet Life" is a complete cinematic experience and contains a climax to bring it to a "bittersweet" close. To sum it up, it is terrific.
HIGHEST Possible RECOMMENDATION!! (4 ½ stars)

Bittersweet Review.......2007-07-04

This was a good movie with good acting. My only draw back was the excessive violence.I also wish the ending was different but for those who enjoy this type of drama go for it you will not be disappointed. As usual Lee Byung Hun was great.

Kim Ji-Woon just keeps getting better and better every time!.......2007-04-04

In the same vein as "Oldboy" comes "A Bittersweet Life," a movie so good it shocked me when watching it for the first time. It's a violent revenge movie with a gripping story with some fantastic actors such as Byung-hun Lee. He stars as Seon-woo, an enforcer for President Kang, a very dangerous man and if he wants to get rid of people, Seon-woo is the one taking care of it. The most interesting thing about this movie besides the story being so great is Seon-woo himself. The way Byung-hun Lee has captured the character sure tells that he's a great actor and what's keeping the movie alive from beginning to end. Seon-woo seem to know nothing about what it's like to have a "normal" life, as the world he lives in is only filled with evil and violence. He has a hard front, can be violent and nasty without remorse, but its fairly easy to see through all that and see that he has a gentle side as well, and that makes him interesting.

For instance with all the violence going on in the movie it sometimes seems like he has no conscience and couldn't care less about what happens to other people. His face is like stone with no expressions to reveal what he really feels, if anything. But at the same time you know that there's something more underneath it all, like when he's around the mistress you really get to see that there's more than one side to him, and that makes him a really likable character. Actually, the further the movie goes, the more likable he becomes and you can't help but feeling sorry for him which is a really effective part of the overall experience.

As reviewer K. Jones has put it, this movie does mixes violence and emotions in an excellent way, and even if the violence is a bit too brutal at times, you still have a lot of "nice" things to fall back on. There are a lot of action elements and the movie is quite stylish to say the least, but the most important thing is that it's not the least bit shallow and while its entertaining eye candy at times; you still really care about the characters and what's going on. This is easily one of the best Korean movies I've seen this year, and a movie that I will probably enjoy watching many times in the future. If you're a fan of "Oldboy," you're most likely to find "A Bittersweet Life" to be pretty sweet, both dealing with the concept of revenge but very different from each other. I also recommend "A Tale of Two Sisters" which is also fantastic.

A Bittersweet Life.......2007-04-01

This was a good movie but I did not like the end, it was maybe alittle confusing and it let open some questions of is this real or a dream.