BROKER (2022)

Directed and written by Hirokazu Kore-eda

Produced by Eugene Lee

Cast: Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, Lee Ji-eun
and Lee Joo-young.

Cinematography: Hong Kyung-pyo

Arguably Japanese director’s Hirokazu Kore-eda’s most accessible film to date is the slice-of-life comedy-drama, BROKER (2022). Elements of Little Miss Sunshine (2006) meets Parasite (2019) meets Juno (2007) as kind-of-likeable and empathetic criminals create a dysfunctional family unit around stealing orphans and finding them families to makes ends meet. Lighter than many of his other brilliant human dramas, there is much to savour here from one of the best filmmakers working today.

There’s a lot going on in Broker (2022) as the duo of Sang-hyeon (Song Kang-ho) and Dong-soo (Gang Dong-won) work a grift of taking the unwanted babies, a police thriller involving murder, an impromptu road movie in a camper van, a cute kid looking for a surrogate father and a mother, Moon So-young (Lee Ji-eun) battling the dilemma of whether to sell or keep her child. A lesser filmmaker could have struggled balancing the many story, character and tonal shifts but Kore-eda manages it with aplomb.

Broker (2022) arguably has too many intertwining subplots though, as it strives to redeem all of the complex characters, but the wonderfully believable performances and brilliant screenplay really grabs you and rarely lets you go. Kore-eda’s direction is, as usual, masterly and assured as he balances the various tones confidently. Overall, this film makes you laugh, cry and is really moving as it highlights that family units can be lovingly born of collective experience, as well as blood.

Mark: 9 out of 11

AFTER LIFE (1998)

Directed and written by Hirokazu Kore-eda

Produced by Masayuki Akieda, Shiho Sato

Cast: Arata Iura, Erika Oda, Susumu Terajima, Sayaka Yoshino, Takashi Naito, Kei Tani, etc.

Cinematography Yutaka Yamazaki

What a delightful, surreal and beautiful film. AFTER LIFE (1998), is easily one of the most imaginative and human films I have watched in a long time. It is set in an administrative centre somewhere between the realms of life and death. Here the staff of the office, kind of social workers, welcome recently deceased people and ask them to recall their life and choose a single memory. After which the filmmaking staff will recreate the memory, shoot this scene and the souls will be able to re-experience this moment forever in heaven.

To me this is a mind-blowing concept for a feature film and I am surprised that it has not been remade (and probably ruined) by Hollywood for either cinema or TV. What makes it so great is, that despite the high concept idea, the design and delivery is so down-to-earth. The offices where events confirmed are not presented with any of the usual angelic or heavenly cliches. Instead, Hirokazu Kore-eda, of which this is only his second feature film, and his production team, decide that the after-life is an unglamorous place run by kindly bureaucrats.

One of the many strengths of After Life (1998) lies with the human representations, both the people who have passed and the office angels who counsel them. The love, humour and emotion derived from the various interviews given by many of the characters are full of joy, sadness and longing. Along with the soulful characters coming to terms with their recent passing, the narrative also focuses on two “young” counsellors, Takashi (Arata Iura) and Shiori (Erika Oda), who must overcome their personal conflicts while helping others. Overall, After Life (1998) builds slowly and beautifully weaves so many fantastic human stories. When the filmed memories are revealed my heart melted, as Kore-eda delivers cinematic moments that will stay with one eternally.

Mark: 10 out of 11