20th Century Girl
Director: Bang Woo-ri
Year: 2022
Rating: 6.5
Country:
Korea
This nostalgic bittersweet exploration of first
love, female bonding and heartbreak glows in bright colors of remembrance.
Did we all really look that good in the 1990s? In her debut, director Bang
Woo-ri utilizes framing and lighting to make everyone look on the verge of
blossoming like fresh fruit. Perfect skin, bright teeth and an expectancy
that the future will bring good things. This Korean film strikes a nice balance
between low-key character comedy, hesitant uncertain teenage romance and
everyday life. This takes place in high school at the end of the 1990's with
Y2K on the horizon. But it is love that is uppermost on the minds of these
characters. And that can bring exhilaration as well as despair as we know.
The film transitions through a few moods - almost musical pieces - youthful
energy, confusion and ultimately acceptance. It runs two hours in length
and honestly, I could have gone without the final movement. Though I suppose
it was needed.
In the current day, the main character Bo-ra
(Kim Yoo-jung as a teenager; Han Hyo-joo as an adult) sees a photo that sends
her on a trip into the past when she was in high school. Her best friend
Yoon-du (Roh Yoon-seo) is giddy with love. "I have never felt this way" to
which Bo-ra reminds her of the many times before that she had a crush. "But
this time it is real". Crushes are funny things. No logic to them. In this
case, Yoon-du saw the object of her love one time when he helped her and
she got his name off of his jacket. But she has to go to America to have
heart surgery and makes Bo-ra promise to keep track of Hyun-jin and report
back to her. In a wacky set of scenes, she does everything see can to find
about Hyun-jin - she should have been a spy - and happily tells her friend
about what she has discovered. For her friend, she will do anything. But
she ends up becoming the middle of a Jules and Jim situation with both Hyun-jin
and his friend Woon-ho falling for her. It is easy to understand why. She
radiates charm and kookiness. The actress Kim Yoo-jung was a child star and
is irresistible.
But complications and mix-ups arise when
her friend returns and heartbreak and disappointment is waiting at the dark
end of the street. The film sinks into a pool of sadness that after such
a bright first half feels like a kick in the pants. I love the way it is
filmed - some beautiful shots - wonderful choice of color schemes - Bo-ra
in a phone booth at night with the streetlight painting the canvass, the
three of them sitting on a bench, Bo-ra eating noodles, falling asleep on
her desk. The film is bookended by her father having a video store and in
the current day closing it down. The curse of progress. The film lost me
a bit towards the end - felt a bit cliched though it never over does the
emotion. It is sitting there but the director doesn't throw it in your face.
This has gained itself quite a fan base of people who were really moved by
it. I just have a blackened crusty heart. Time will do that. To be young
and in love again. Well, no, not really. It hurts too much.
