Sunflower (2006)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Blistering performances.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

This movie is very lackluster compared to the rest of Korean cinema, it is very typical and fits a little too much with a Hollywood title. I'd recommend better movies about gangster's such as New World and Inside Men. I was hoping for more from this movie but it delivered an extremely underwhelming and predictable experience.

Sunflower is a South Korean gangster film that stars Kim Rae-won and Kim Hae-sook.It is about former gangster Tae-sik,who is released from prison and heads back to his hometown to live in a small restaurant with a woman.It was written and directed by Kang Seok-beom.Tae-sik, who cleansed up the neighborhood back alley with his bare knuckle after dropping out of high school, is released on parole. The once sacrificial sheep of Tae-sik's frank Min-seok has become a detective and Tae-sik's henchmen friends have turned on each other's back. As if have forgotten the old days he shared with them, Tae-sik only does what he wishes to do, which was written down on his crumpling small scrapbook. Tae-sik finds a warm shelter in the small neighborhood food joint 'Sunflower', where Tae-sik handed his scrapbook to its owner before. Attempting to leave his past behind, he takes a job in a garage and tries to keep away from the local gangs, most of whom still live in fear of his brutal reputation. When a local politician wants to knock down his adoptive mom's restaurant to build a new shopping mall, Tae-sik struggles to avoid returning to a life of violence. However, nobody believes him but the owner and her daughter of the 'Sunflower'.This makes it an inspirational tale that doesn't glamorize the gangster lifestyle.Aside from that,it tells a story of someone who is about to leave the gangster life behind. It shows the respect that can come with not fighting and earning a hard days pay. The violence is sparse but always brutal without being graphic. It is whom the violence happens to that makes it shocking. But when the film takes the time and effort to humanize and empathize with characters. That is the biggest achievement of this South Korean film.

I think this film is under rated.As somebody who has done time in Asia and come out, i get the level of acting the lead role diplays. His body language is classic ex con.Even the early fight scenes show blocking skills but no retalliation in a way hat took intelligent study. Or an actor that got into his role. Admitedly the daughter role iscast a bit shallow but that not acting error thats direction or script re writes I guess.Its not subtle but neither was Will Shakespeare. This film is up with Breath and Chingoo. One of the best films I have seen in quite a while. coming from somebody who watches way way to many filmsWatch and judge for yourself.Somebody has made the effort to adjust the genre.

This one should work for all who are accustomed to Korean crime dramas. They are often considered to be heavy handed , but to be honest that has almost always worked for me somehow , specially because of the genuine performances by the main characters involved.The story is simple. Its about an ex gangster who is free from prison after serving ten years. All he wants is a second chance in life. A chance for a little bit of happiness and peace for the ones he loves.But a constant threat always looms over his family and threatens to awaken the demon inside him. (Decided to write this short review seeing there was just one other seriously misleading review for this genuinely decent movie)