thallinan Review of My Mother, the Mermaid

My Mother, the Mermaid (2004)

A wonderful film

[9/10 · 26 February 2006]

This is a really remarkable movie about the relationships between parents and children, about time and loss, and about understanding others. Na-Young works in an office and lives with her ineffectual father and her relentlessly unpleasant, perpetually angry mother. She has no respect for her father and dislikes her mother, even though it's obvious that Na-Young is slowly becoming an unpleasant woman, too. When her father disappears, Na-Young goes back to the island where her parents met and her mother worked as a pearl fisher -- but somehow Na-Young finds herself face to face with the young women who will -- 30 years or so later -- become her mother. And no, this is not explained, and who cares? It's not like it's possible anyway. It happens. As her mother's life unfolds over a memorable few months, Na-Young is there as a friend. She sees her mother's aspirations and heartbreaks, and of course all that changes Na-Young's perspective.

But the film doesn't turn into Hallmark in Korean. There are no simple explanations for why we change as we get older, no miraculous reconciliations, no unconvincing character reversals. It's just a beautiful film about deepening our understanding of those who share our lives. It's gorgeous to look at, and the central performance -- the same actress plays both mother and daughter -- is pretty close to miraculous.

All in all, a wonderful film.