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Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

Posted By: Someonelse
Date: 27 Aug 2011 23:39:18
Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]
DVD9 (VIDEO_TS) untouched | NTSC 16:9 (720x480) | 02:22:25 | 7,62 Gb
Audio: Korean AC3 5.1 @ 448 Kbps | Subs: English
Genre: Drama | 10 wins | South Korea

A master of intensely emotional human dramas, director Lee Chang-dong is a luminary of contemporary Korean cinema, and his place on the international stage was cemented by this stirring and unpredictable work examining grief and deliverance. An effortless mix of lightness and uncompromising darkness, Secret Sunshine (Miryang) stars Cannes best actress winner Jeon Do-yeon as a widowed piano teacher who moves with her young son from Seoul to her late husband’s provincial hometown for a fresh start. Quietly expressive, supple filmmaking and sublime, subtle performances distinguish this remarkable portrayal of the search for grace amid tragedy.

IMDB
Criterion

"Secret Sunshine" is the Chinese translation for "Milyang," the name of the town where Shin-ae (Jeon Do-yeon) and her seven-year-old son are moving to start a new life. Shin-ae's husband has recently died in a car accident, and Milyang was the home town he always yearned to return to. Secret sunshine is also a metaphor for everything that is unseen: love, faith, loss. Director Lee Chang-dong has a novelist's eye for detail and hidden meaning; he guides us through the dramatic twists in the young widow's life with exquisite care.

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

Even though there is something immediately accessible and inviting about Lee's rhythms, a traditional plot summary for Secret Sunshine is nearly impossible: either the events are too mundane – a pharmacist gives unwelcome advice, Shin-ae's son makes a speech at school, the amorous mechanic (Song Kang-ho) invites her for coffee – or alternately, much too shocking to give away. Shin-ae's story is full of precious quotidian moments and incredible transformations, and I don't want to spoil the pleasures of discovering both.

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

Secret Sunshine belongs to actress Jeon Do-yeon, who gives a wonderfully evocative performance that deserves to be seen and celebrated as widely as possible. Shin-ae is as layered and richly developed a character as you could wish for in the movies, capable of deep insight and emotional extremes – from the depths of grief to dizzying heights of religious ecstasy – all without losing the audience for a minute. There's more truth and wisdom in Secret Sunshine than I've seen at the movies in a long time, and I can only hope that the film will find distribution in the U.S. soon.
About.com
Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

“Secret Sunshine” is the latest effort from acclaimed Korean director Lee Chang Dong, who previously won praise and prizes both at home and abroad for his films “Green Fish”, “Peppermint Candy” and “Oasis”. Returning to the director’s chair following his work as Korean Minister of Culture and Tourism from 2003 to 2004, he managed to enlist two of the biggest names in Korean cinema in the form of Song Kang Ho (recently in “The Show Must Go On” and Bong Joon Ho’s blockbuster hit “The Host”) and Jeon Do Yeon (who enjoyed success with “You are my Sunshine” and the controversial films “The Untold Scandal” and “Happy End”), whose performance won her the Best Actress award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, at which the film itself was nominated for the Golden Palm. Unsurprisingly, the film has since been chosen as the country’s entry for the 2008 Academy Awards.

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

The film begins with widow Shin Ae (Jeon Do Yeon) and her young son Jun moving to the small town of Milyang (which translates as ‘secret sunshine’) where her husband was born. Opening up a piano school with the help of local man Jong Chan (Song Kang Ho), she tries to rebuild her life, a dream which is shattered when the boy is kidnapped and murdered. This fresh tragedy pushes her over the edge, and she falls in with the local Christian church. Her newfound religious beliefs initially give her comfort and strength, though she is soon tested when she decides to try and find it in her heart to forgive the man responsible for Jun’s cruel death.

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

Although “Secret Sunshine” may appear to cover some potentially familiar ground recently also explored in the likes of “Voice of a Murderer” and Christian prison drama “Maundy Thursday” and may sound like a sure recipe for yet another slice of gloomy melodrama, it actually turns out to be a very different proposition indeed. Of course, this should not come as much of a surprise given the pedigree of Lee’s previous works, though it’s a tribute to his skill as a storyteller that he here manages mine such an uninspiring premise into something which is wholly engrossing and intellectually challenging. This film is one where the viewer slowly gets to know and becomes involved with the characters, without ever being patronised or spoon fed clichés, and as a result they come across as being real and indeed painfully human rather than the usual kind of obvious two dimensional stereotypes. As a result, much of the film is ambiguous and open to interpretation, such as Shin Ae’s feelings towards the bullied daughter of her child’s murderer. This adds an uncommon complexity and depth to the drama which makes it all the more gripping.

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

Although this is in part due to Lee’s intimate, patient style, the film’s success rests largely upon the shoulders of actress Jeon Do Yeon, who features in almost every scene. Giving a wonderfully naturalistic performance, she provides the film with its emotional core and pulls the viewer along on her character’s difficult journey. Since the drama heads into some pretty bleak territory, this does make for uncomfortable viewing at times, particularly during the latter stages, and the scene in which she finally confronts the killer is one of the most devastating and powerful in recent memory, though not in the manner expected. Thankfully, although the film deals with deep despair and is profoundly moving, it is never overwrought or melodramatic, and when the tears come they are raw and painful to watch. Never offering forced resolutions or easy answers, the film is bravely non-judgemental and Lee does not shy away from the fact that people make bad choices and mistakes.

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

Song Kang Ho also turns in a good performance, and whilst there is certainly a bit of his usual bumbling idiot shtick to his role, he is by no means a simple guardian angel, having questionable motivations and showing several flashes of frightening rage. His character also undergoes an interesting journey, and has a very different experience with Christianity to that of Shin Ae.

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

“Secret Sunshine” is a film about religion rather than a religious one as such, with Lee depicting Christianity from the perspective of an outsider. Firstly treated as an alien annoyance, with people clapping, singing and howling at the sky, the religion is tackled in brave, open fashion, asking difficult questions, beginning with the old chestnut as to why God allows terrible things to happen. Even more searching issues are explored as the film progresses, as Shin Ae’s Christian rebirth essentially sees her using the religion as a crutch. This period of the film is particularly challenging, as her conversion whilst perhaps understandable given the circumstances distances her from the viewer and comes as a shock. The matter comes to a head as she struggles with living as well as speaking the religious ideal, in particular in her attempts to forgive the murderer, and Lee uses this to meditate upon the darker and even hypocritical side of Christianity, dealing with the moral superiority which many seem to use to take refuge in and the feelings of jealousy and even enmity which it can result in. Again, he offers no judgement upon the religion, simply showing that faith can mean different things to different people, leaving the viewer to draw their own conclusions as to what lies behind the smiles and within the hearts of the characters, something which again underlines how the film is seen through the eyes of Shin Ae herself.

Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

As a result, “Secret Sunshine” is arguably one of the most honest films about Christianity, and one which challenges the religion without either offending or pulling punches. On top of such intellectual ponderings, it offers superbly acted, tense, quietly gripping character driven drama which draws the viewer in and refuses to let go. Possibly Lee’s best effort to date, a fact which itself speaks volumes for its quality, the film is simply one of the best from Korean in recent years.
Beyong Hollywood
Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION:
- New digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Lee Chang-dong and cinematographer Cho Yong-kyu
- New video interview with Lee
- On the Set of “Secret Sunshine,” a behind-the-scenes video piece featuring interviews with actors Jeon Do-yeon and Song Kang-ho
- U.S. theatrical trailer
- New and improved English subtitle translation
Secret Sunshine (2007) [The Criterion Collection #576]

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