Bora Kim's "HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD"
Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald
“Coming of age” films are a dime a dozen. This one is a cut above most.
We follow adolescent Eun-hee in 1994 Seoul as she navigates an abusive and neglectful family, the normal and occasionally rocky trials and tribulation of adolescent girls everywhere, serious health issues, clueless adults, national upheaval, and personal tragedy.
Life goes on as she makes her way through difficult times. She experiences friendship and the attention of a teacher who recognizes something in her as she survives from day to day. She makes mistakes but learns from them.
Eun-hee doesn’t smile much. When she does she radiates warm internal feelings.
Young Ji-hu Park as Eun-hee is wonderfully natural as she moves from one event to another. Fortunately there is no jump-cutting or choppy editing here. Director Bora Kim knows her stuff. She understands how important it is to take time when illustrating feelings and personal interactions.
If there is a lesson to learn from this movie, released in 2018, it is the profound importance of listening. That takes time.
This film illustrates what can happen if we don’t take the time to understand how important that is.
Review copyright (c) 2021 by Dennis D. McDonald
