Mother

2009 Drama

A woman devoted to her son struggles to keep him from spending his life in prison in this drama from director Bong Joon-ho. Do-jun (Weon Bin) is a man in his mid-twenties who isn't especially bright and is easily led. Do-jun lives with his elderly mother (Kim Hye-ja), who loves him fiercely even though she has no illusions about his abilities or his bad habits. Do-jun spends much of his spare time with Jin-tae (Jin Gu), a borderline criminal who takes advantage of Do-jun's credulous nature, much to his mother's annoyance. When Do-jun is arrested by police and accused of the murder of a young woman, his mother is certain he couldn't have done it and sets out to prove her son's innocence to police detectives, who seem more interested in closing the case than researching other possible leads. At first, mother feels certain that Jin-tae has framed her son to avoid being punished himself, but as she digs deeper she suspects the truth is more complicated. Madeo (aka Mother) was an official selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. more..

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Starring: Kim Hye-Ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yoon Jae-moon, Jun Mi-sun

Reviews

  • Another must-see marvel of horror, comedy, and impeccable filmmaking by the Korean director Bong Joon-ho.

    Lisa Schwarzbaum - Entertainment Weekly

    26 April 2013

  • An absolutely phenomenal film by the Korean director Bong Joon-ho.

    Joe Morgenstern - The Wall Street Journal

    26 April 2013

  • An alluring piece of work, an artful whodunit that melds shrewd plotting with resourceful camera work and sympathetic characters that are fascinatingly, morbidly off.

    - The San Francisco Chronicle

    26 April 2013

  • A superb murder mystery, with twists coming thick and fast yet always at the right moments.

    - The Hollywood Reporter

    26 April 2013

  • The film is labyrinthine and deceptive, and not in a way we anticipate. It becomes a pleasure for the mind.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    26 April 2013

Awards

  • Best International Film

    Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (2011)

     
  • Best Performance by an Actress

    Asia Pacific Screen Awards (2009)

  • Best Actress

    Asian Film Awards (2010)

  • Best Film

    Blue Dragon Awards (2009)

  • Best Foreign Language Film

    Boston Society of Film Critics Awards (2010)