Review of Hi, Mom

Hi, Mom (2021)
5/10
Good film, but overlong with boring second act...
29 May 2021
We've certainly seen a fare share of time travel movies in every conceivable genre. This comedy drama might initially come across as a predictable time travel movie, but hey, this is Korean cinema, so it's not all that predictable.

'Hi, Mom' is beautifully filmed with good photography and cinematography, and I found the protagonist, Jia Xiao Ling, absolutely adorable - well portrayed by Ling Jia. For most part the film is a comedy, but - just like 'Miracle in Cell No. 7', turns dramatic very quickly during the finale.

The film went from an interesting and promising start to a rather slow and somewhat boring second act, with little that interested me. It just felt too long, with too much (unnecessary) detail. There were also a few character issues I won't mention in order to avoid spoilers. The film then sort of redeemed itself during the third act, and the finale grabbed me - like a stake through the heart! Ling Jia stole the show in every scene she was in. She was wonderful! 'Hi, Mom' is a very sad, feel-good movie, with a powerful message.

'Hi, Mom' was a huge box office success, raking in $841 million on a $59 million budget. It became the second highest grossing foreign language film of all time, and so far the highest grossing film of 2021 - during a time when social distancing was still the order of the day due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

While it was indeed a good film, the above facts are beyond comprehension. It really wasn't that great a movie... was it?
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