Leo-beu-pik-syeon (2012)

Leo-beu-pik-syeon: Directed by Kye Soo Jeon. With Ha Jung-woo, Kong Hyo-Jin, Byung-Joon Lee, Hie-bong Jo. A comedy centered on the romance between an obscure novelist and his new girlfriend, who also becomes his muse.

“No oneu0026#39;s written a review yet, so Iu0026#39;m compelled to. The Korean film industry has turned out some great stuff in recent years. Though u0026quot;Love Fictionu0026quot; doesnu0026#39;t go at the top of my list (thatu0026#39;s reserved for u0026quot;My P.S. Partner,u0026quot; with the inimitable Ji Sung), itu0026#39;s still a smart, quirky, funny film. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWe get to know the characters well–a writer with a serious romantic streak and the woman he falls for at first sight. Theyu0026#39;re original characters, though we donu0026#39;t get to know the heroine (played by the awesome Gong Hyo-Jin) as well as the hero. We follow the beginning and first year or so of their relationship in a meandering way. Sometimes the unfocused plot delivers marvelous, hilarious scenes, like a really unforgettable funeral service and the best discussion of female underarm hair ever. Other times it doesnu0026#39;t seem clear where weu0026#39;re going or if weu0026#39;re going anywhere. And perhaps we arenu0026#39;t: the denouement is abrupt and feels inconclusive.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe hero is a writer whose detective story protagonist sometimes appears and converses with him. This conceit works well, especially since this imaginary mentor has a habit of quoting the great European writers of the nineteenth century. (Werther comes up a lot. How can I not like a movie that keeps mentioning Young Werther?) What works less well are the scenes set entirely within the herou0026#39;s hard-boiled detective novel. Luckily, the visits to imagination-land are short. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe mood of u0026quot;Love Fictionu0026quot; is more comic than romantic. The unusual secondary characters and the laid-back style give it a slice-of-life vibe. It doesnu0026#39;t deliver an emotional punch or much narrative tension, but youu0026#39;ll remember the oddball characters.”