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The Crying Fist /Jumeogi unda (2005) Ryoo
Hard knocks
A twin character study of a petty criminal and an aging boxer (who medalled out during an international meet in his youth) who are redeemed and foresaken through boxing. Both of the characters are unsympathic and seem to have willingly embraced their desperate lifestyles. Their unhappiness spills against everyone they meet, and particularly hardest against those people closest to them in their lives.
Most of the story is set in the poorer neighbourhoods, cleverly reminding us of the economic background in which the story is played out. Gang tae-shik (the aging boxer, you may remember him from Old Boy) had turned his silver medal into gold with a craftly investment but the resulting collaspe of the casino economy has rendered him virtually penniliess. He ekks out a living providing a public service; he's a human punching bag, which many would consider several rungs below simple pan handling. Yoo Sang-hwan, the young thug, has grown up in an era with slim oppourtunities and no hope of a decent job or future. So, this begs the question: Are the characters getting their just deserts--or are they merely victims of larger circumstance?
What sets this film apart is it's minor subversions of the genre. The amount of time spent with these two these broken down characters slowly builds up sympathy for their respective plights. The director Seung-wan Ryoo then stands the black and white boxing drama on it's head by then pitting these two underdogs against each other, resulting in a totally grey on grey situation. There's a moment of slight panic as we realize both fighters equally merit the better life that a championship would bring to them, but the other will be doomed to ignominious defeat. We feel every punch and blow to their dignity and swallow whole heartedly all the boxing clichés: Don't throw in the towel. Stay on your feet. Go the distance.
The crying fist ~ 7/10
Hard knocks
A twin character study of a petty criminal and an aging boxer (who medalled out during an international meet in his youth) who are redeemed and foresaken through boxing. Both of the characters are unsympathic and seem to have willingly embraced their desperate lifestyles. Their unhappiness spills against everyone they meet, and particularly hardest against those people closest to them in their lives.
Most of the story is set in the poorer neighbourhoods, cleverly reminding us of the economic background in which the story is played out. Gang tae-shik (the aging boxer, you may remember him from Old Boy) had turned his silver medal into gold with a craftly investment but the resulting collaspe of the casino economy has rendered him virtually penniliess. He ekks out a living providing a public service; he's a human punching bag, which many would consider several rungs below simple pan handling. Yoo Sang-hwan, the young thug, has grown up in an era with slim oppourtunities and no hope of a decent job or future. So, this begs the question: Are the characters getting their just deserts--or are they merely victims of larger circumstance?
What sets this film apart is it's minor subversions of the genre. The amount of time spent with these two these broken down characters slowly builds up sympathy for their respective plights. The director Seung-wan Ryoo then stands the black and white boxing drama on it's head by then pitting these two underdogs against each other, resulting in a totally grey on grey situation. There's a moment of slight panic as we realize both fighters equally merit the better life that a championship would bring to them, but the other will be doomed to ignominious defeat. We feel every punch and blow to their dignity and swallow whole heartedly all the boxing clichés: Don't throw in the towel. Stay on your feet. Go the distance.
The crying fist ~ 7/10