Title: Let Me Out
Director: Kim Chang-rae, Jae Soh
Stars: Choi Jessica, Han Geunsup , Kwon Hyun-Sang
U. S. Distributor: Giant Ape, Group 1200, Funimation
U. S. Release Date: May 27, 2014
Format: Blu-ray / DVD / Feature Film / 97 Minutes
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Age Rating: TV 13
Overall Personal Rating: B+
Synopsis:
Mu-Young is a film student who’s seen every movie you haven’t and thinks your favorite director is a hack. He’s happy to churn out criticism until a famous indie filmmaker funds his unproduced zombie masterpiece and gives the amateur auteur the chance to prove he’s the next big thing in Korean cinema.
On the set, melodrama quickly bleeds out of the script and into the shoot. Mu-Young’s undead are underwhelming, the star’s a total diva, and the cast and crew are one step away from mutiny – including the actress who’s caught his eye. If he’s not careful, chasing after his dream could turn life into a total nightmare.
Commentary:
After spending so many years going to art school this film struck a rather uncomfortable cord with me. It was a cold hard look at a large majority of the students that I spent so many hours talking about what art was great and what was no and how we will change the world. 25 years later I look at these images and understand how pretentious and silly it all was. Let Me Out does something that you almost never see and that is a jaded look at the state of art education and at the same time give us a somewhat kind hearted love story.
Kwon Hyun-Sang does a great job of giving us that over the top art snob. He knows what a great film is and understands everything about making , but has no real experience doing it. I just wanted to punch him. This acting really hit the hime run. If someone can find their voice and bring forth such a visceral response that tells me he knows his stuff and was able to get into the part. I realize that it is no major stretch for an actor to play a pretentious prig of a film school directing student, but never-the-less it hit the mark. The part of the show that fell apart was the romance aspect of it. It wasn’t until the last 20 minutes that it was even a factor and seemed like it was just a filler aspect to the story.
I did feel as though the writing was pretty good even if it lost touch when it brought in the ever longing love aspect to the film. The co-stars and secondary characters were well enough developed that when they needed to step in a carry the show it was easy enough and well transitioned. I guess that most of the film was a strong enough, but there were some rather tenuous aspects that just turned me off.
Overall Garde: B+
I have great admiration for the Korean indie film industry and Let Me Out is a film that proves that it should continue to produce such interesting and insightful films. Let Me Out gives us a peek into the world of the pretentious and the egocentric that few have walked and come out the other side with a better understanding of humanity for what it really is. Im not saying that this film is life changing, but rather it chronicles how a person can find salvation in their own folly. Really it is a fine film that is fun to watch.
