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I just finished watching this South Korean dramedy from writer/director Hyeong-Cheol Kang (Speed Scandal) and to my surprise, it turned out to be probably one of the best comedy/drama films I've seen it years.
The story is really nothing new, as we focus on a woman who happens to meet an old friend in a hospital. The friend turns out to be a close high school buddy, whom she lost touch with several years ago. While catching up with old times, the friend reveals that she's dying of cancer and only has a few months left to live. Her last wish? To get the old high school clique back together. Thus, the woman hires a detective to track down all the old members from their high school gang called "Sunny."
The film is primarily set in the mid-80's, as we're shown flashbacks of the friends as they were in high school and all the silly situations they'd find themselves in. It's your standard coming-of-age tale, but it's told in a very well quirky and unique way, which makes it stand out among other flicks with similar themes. It's really the magnificent character development for each member of the group that really helps the viewer feel for these girls.
Luckily, we're not given an overuse of melodrama, which is the norm for films like this. Director Hyeong-Cheol Kang manages to create a perfect balance of comedy and drama, never overdoing it with either. And surprisingly, much of the comedy actually works because we really buy into how these girls are with one another.
For more than an hour we're treated to a really fun coming-of-age tale, while given bits of dramatic pieces here and there to remind us that underneath all the silliness, there's still a story with heart. This obviously isn't a movie for everyone, but if you love Korean cinema (me!) or have an open mind, then you'll likely fall in love with this film right from the start (like I did).
8/10
http://imdb.com/title/tt1937339/
http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_Sunny_-_2010.php
And to get an idea on the tone of the film for the most part, here's one of my fav. scenes where the girls meet up with a rival gang in the middle of a riot