Chilsu and Mansu maps the journey of two unlikely friends as they struggle through unemployment, relationships with the opposite sex, and their identities in a confusing and bustling Seoul. What struck me most were two things in equal intensity: the importance of 'care' in the film and subsequently the relationships and dynamics that these produce between Chilsu/Mansu, and secondly the weirdness of the structure and the dominance of the climax.
I was completely astounded at the structure of the movie (which I will talk about tomorrow at the presentation). When I would think that one thing was going to happen (i.e, between Chilsu & Ji-na), I would be totally surprised--either by what I expected happening differently, or sometimes by nothing happening at all. This was a common element: plot-lines I thought would be trimmed up, continued, or added back in were sometimes dropped altogether or ended very abruptly. Characters the audience had grown to sympathise with and know a bit about were completely forgotten or somehow taken out of the plot in a way that I would not describe as graceful, but which I definitely didn't dislike. Things did not grow in the normal sense of the modern film with intro, problem, climax/denouement/conclusion. The effect was interesting: at times I paid more attention, and at times I got bored or disappointed because what I felt was natural to have happen did not! How can the use of structure affect the audience's interpretation of the film? I can only speak for myself in saying that it was disturbing, but pleasantly so...
Secondly, I couldn't help but notice the relationships in the movie, primarily between the two leads. Without ever outright discussing it, Chilsu takes Mansu as his father figure. Both characters come from dysfunctional families with paternal figures in difficult situations, and both end up using the other as a source of care: together they are sympathisers during difficult situations, loyal figures when days are long, etc...Several dynamics happen at once: father/son, coworkers, and brother/friend. Is it possible to have all of these things coexist gracefully? What dominates in this film?
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