South Korea’s popular culture has been experiencing a gigantic boom in international popularity over the past few years. While K-dramas continue to stun, and K-pop brings the beat harder than many musicians on this side of the Pacific ocean, film is the one medium where South Korea has always shown expertise. From Oldboy, to the Host, to Parasite, South Korea’s national cinema is genuinely one of the most impressive on the planet. So naturally, one of Japan’s best directors wants to get in on that action.
Broker is another masterful stroke from Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda. #TIFF22 pic.twitter.com/z8iXBfQRZr
— James Mackin @ TIFF22 (@JamesMackin10) September 9, 2022
Broker is Hirokazu Kore-eda’s first film in Korean, but not his first film created outside of Japan (that would be 2019’s the Truth, starring Catherine Deneuve and Ethan Hawke). He teams up with one of the best actors working in South Korea nowadays, Song Kang-ho (from Parasite and Memories of Murder). Song plays a broker, specifically selling babies dropped off in baby boxes to couples that can’t conceive. He does this with his partner (played by Gang Dong-won from Peninsula), who has a personal reason for doing so.
The latest baby they’re trying to sell proves to be tricky, because the mother (played by popstar Lee Ji-eun) comes back. She decides to accompany the two and see if whoever they sell her child to will be a good fit to raise them. Complicating matters even further is a pair of detectives (played by Bae Doona from the Host and Lee Joo-young from Times) on their trail, disgusted by their baby box business.
A film starring Song Kang-ho means a film with a powerful lead actor. And Song’s performance is good, he keeps a happy tone going throughout the tough material. But the most impressive performances are his partner Gang, and Bae as one of the detectives. Gang plays a man hurt by the path his life was forced to follow, and he’s determined to do what he can to make a positive impact no matter how big or small. While his partner sees this business as merely profit, Gang sees this as helping infants find families before they die of cold in the street.
Bae’s performance is equally as intense, as she’s disgusted by the two lead’s business. How could they profit off of mothers abandoning their children, and how could they live with themselves? Her performance is filled with a quiet disgust, a constant distaste in her mouth. We see pain in her life, but a near-constant professionalism remains on top.
The film plays very similarly to Hirokazu’s previous Palme d’Or winner, Shoplifters. Both are films about found families made up by petty criminals who have no real malice in their actions. They merely want to help others, and themselves as best they can. Whereas Shoplifters took a serious approach to this story, Broker has a lighter touch. It all builds to an intense ending which must be seen to be believed.
This probably won’t make as much of a splash on this side of the Pacific that Parasite did, but it’s a beautiful film that anyone who believes in family should watch. While its premise may be tough to endure, a warm playfulness lies underneath that makes it all worth it. You can watch it at the festival, or check it out in December when it comes out in theatres!
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