andjel

A very lovely film about human relationships that begins with a chance encounter between a Korean man and a Japanese man in a bar, after which their life stories gradually become intertwined.

What I found particularly interesting was watching the Korean speak Japanese and the Japanese man speak Korean — but even more striking was how each of them fills certain needs in the other’s life, becoming a kind of temporary substitute for what is missing.

The actors are charming, and the characters they portray are somewhat unconventional. In fact, much of what happens in the film feels unusual, and in doing so it gently shows that life still has room for new people and unexpected meetings, and that sometimes we can stand in for one another in place of those who are absent. This is not a comedy, yet it will almost certainly put a smile on viewers’ faces and restore a little faith in the humanity and kindness of the people around us.