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Hi,I should really say the male lead, Oh god am really impressed with his acting. I could not able to express his acting with words. When I read the plot, I was really wondering how can an highly paid actor like him could act transgender role. But, am surprised with his expressions, emotion and action by the way. Well, the story" about a cop who is in the investigation dept tries his best to capture all the bad guys out there and at last wants to quit his job and become a transgender women. After resigning his job and thinking of going abroad for the operation where he come to know his sister had been kidnapped and some cops in his department has died cz of the not captured bad guys with who he made deal with for the money".
Here the story will bring the question that will he go ahead to lead his new life or he will be the man who will protect his loved once. I would like to recommend this movie who ever likes to watch transgender dramas or movies.
Finally, This movie contain lots of blood shed and 18+ violence. So, whoever have a fear of blood and extreme violence please avoid the movie.
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This movie sucked me in and didn't let go. The action is sharp and slick and on point beyond words my lower jaw just dropped. CSW's acting is so pure and true to the kind of life(style) he's trying to depict giving a small but clear insight into the struggles and sacrifices millions of people with this issue face everyday. To be honest this issue belatedly switching genders is not one I've ever turned my mind to. I hear and see it all around and pretty much dismiss it as it's not something I condone; But I don't have to condone something to try to understand it.and this movie was portrayed in a way that made me curious and drew it to the forefront of my attention :)
What caught my attention was how Cha Seun Won used his smallest finger to play a big roll in this movie. A raised pinkie seemed to be what the Directors decided to use as a subtle hint at the persistent feminine mindset of the main character when he was in male mode. We all know it's silly. But in this case I thought it was a good call. They chose not to over-feminize (my new word) a person whose main roll in life is a bad-ass hero cop. This most masculine looking man with a beautiful face didn't need to be seen as "trying to hide" a swishy walk or striking dramatic femme-poses instead I think the dignity was kept for the M & F portrayals by remaining subtle with the body. After all, the wig dress and make-up was more than enough for us to get the picture. CSW goes all in for his dramas. He's One of my Favorites! I'm never surprised at any of the projects Cha Seung Won takes on. He's mastered his craft so well. The rest of the cast were wonderful as well.
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Delicacy and subtlety to, from black humor, address taboo topics: transsexuality, violence and death
Just hearing the premise makes one curious. Action films abound, but there can't be too many like 'Man of High Heels,' a moody, moving and violent Korean cop-gangster film written and directed by Jang Jin.Released in 2014, this South Korean noir film stars Cha Seung Won, who plays a homicide detective who hides a big secret.
Nicknamed Cyborg due to the metal plates on his arms and legs and his ability to make an arrest using only his formidable martial arts skills, even criminals are amazed by his toughness and physical prowess: gangster gang leader Heo -Bol (Song Young-Chang), was singing praises to Yoon Ji-Wook moments before the man appeared to beat him and his henchmen.
Skilled in hand-to-hand combat, Yoon Ji Wook is a tough homicide detective known for his ability to catch violent criminals using his own harsh methods. Revered as a legend among police officers, he is simultaneously feared among the mafia for his brutality in cracking down on crime.
However, beneath that macho and unscrupulous hard man appearance lies a secret that no one can know since the society in which he lives would not view him favorably: apparently the epitome of masculinity, Yoon Ji Wook feels that She is a woman in a man's body.
As much as she tries to suppress this inner desire, she can't fight what she really is: Yoon identifies as transgender.
The film is an intricate film noir story, and woven into the mask of the crime plot is the story of Yoon's decision to live his true life.
Upon finally reaching the point where he resolves to be a woman and decides to take the step of undergoing a sex reassignment operation and thus be able to see his teenage dream come true, he requests discharge from the police force.
This is when the turning point in the film occurs. Before having the opportunity to enter the operating room, unexpected situations begin to happen that interfere with their plans. His numerous enemies think his career change is also a perfect opportunity to take revenge. When some of his close friends are murdered and Jang-mi (Esom), a girl whose brother Yoon loved at school, is kidnapped, he realizes that he can't stand by and follow his dream any longer. How much will revenge cost him?
The members of a gang who had to go through bad times due to the actions of our narrative hero will come for him. Recognizing that it would be difficult for them to take revenge directly, they decide to endanger not only their dream but the people they love.
It is striking that in the history of cinema there has never been a film that deals with the issue of transgenderism in the way that 'Man of High Heels' does. Jang argued that he was inspired to write the script by friends who had encountered prejudice due to their sexual identities, and one of them had been forced to leave the police institution for being gay.
Furthermore, its subversion of classic action movie tropes typifies the irreverent approach of its director, who has built his reputation satirizing Korean society and mischievously modifying cinematic traditions.
With great delicacy and subtlety, the director addresses a topic that is widely carried and brought up by many people who are still full of prejudices who are not careful when it comes to pointing the finger at everything they do not know or do not understand.
'Man of High Heels' manages, with great elegance and good taste, to reflect transsexuality on the screen, and not only in an illustrative way but with a message to all those who dare to judge people who suffer this desire in their flesh.
On the one hand, the protagonist nails his role like very few other actors could have done. Cha Seung Won exudes masculinity from every pore. That is why it surprises many to see him dressed as a woman.
Reading comments from MDL users, one can notice the large number of people who are surprised to learn the premise of the film, and there are those who attack it because "I don't like it" and "I don't understand" or they simply attack it because they consider the way in which transsexuality is approached is crude.
The film is not only about seeing one of Korea's most mature actors transvestite, but also that 'Man of High Heels' debunks the idea, especially in the West, that South Korean cinema goes to the saga of what is produced in the rest of the world. Due to its story, its originality, its staging and, above all, its ability to surprise the viewer, Jang's film speaks for itself about the quality of the cinema of that Asian nation.
This is a film that will keep the most demanding viewer of the action genre in suspense, but seeks other audiences by incorporating the LGBT+ component. This is a violent film with a brutal staging loaded with scenes that will remain fixed in our retinas as a warm memory for life.
This film not only succeeds in the genre but stands out. The opening fight scene is a classic, beautifully choreographed with wit and crazy fun.
'Man of High Heels' begins with a bang that sets the stage for what is to come and introduces the protagonist whose presence is equally explosive and heartbreaking.
The film challenges our perception and reveals discrimination, love and acceptance, as well as tears in our hearts.
If someone believes that everything has been said, add that it is a different film in its history but that manages to combine all the ingredients and resources of an authentic Korean gangster film, with action scenes from the first to the last scene.
This is one of Cha's best performances, one that you can't help but get emotionally invested in.
But there's even more: this is a drama that will make your heart pound and make you feel restless in your seat and you will even want to help the tough homicide detective eliminate the gangsters without suffering a scratch, save his loved ones and until it makes it easier for you to get to the operating room on time.
This is a layered, multidimensional film about a real person, with a real career and reputation, real friends and colleagues.
This is a film that invites the transgender community to be smarter about accepting serious attempts to tell a nuanced transgender story.
'Man of High Heels' manages to dismantle all the concepts regarding what masculinity is supposed to be from the first sequence, without separating the humor from the action – sometimes crazy, but always precise.
A film full of messages and symbolism in every shot under masterful direction, a noir film emerges in all its expressions, an exquisite and suggestive black humor to address taboo topics such as transsexuality, violence and death itself, in a humorous way.
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