by Morgan Rojas/www.cinemacy.com
“A story is all about the journey,” Uncle Kouzuki says to Count Fujiwara as he cuts off the Count’s fingers one by one, taking joy in the other man’s pain. The sex-obsessed and domineering Uncle, while deplorable in every way, reveals a ring of truth in his observation of what makes a good story, and in the case of director Park Chan-wook’s film “The Handmaiden,” the 2.5-hour journey leads us through a tangled web of sexually-charged tension made even more complicated by the layers of lies and deceit. And while the film remains shocking during its entire duration, it is actually a beautiful piece of cinema at its core. This is a film where trying to predict what will happen next is utterly pointless, so best to just sit back and let Park Chan-wook be your guide throughout this multidimensional journey.
The scene is set during the 1930’s as a young Korean woman, Sookee (Kim Tae-ri), is chosen to work as a handmaiden to the young Japanese heiress Lady Hideko (Min-hee Kim), whose family have all passed away, leaving her the sole proprietor of her family’s fortune. Sookee meets the heiress at the beautiful, yet secluded, Korean estate where she lives with her much older Uncle Kouzuki (Jin-woong Jo)– who has made his plans of marrying her to inherit her wealth very clear. Both women are quickly drawn to each other as the lines of friendship become blurred and sexual tension arises, however, it is Sookee who hides an ulterior motive that may prove to be detrimental.
Before being hired as the handmaiden, Sookee made her living as a forgery specialist and master pickpocket. Seeing an opportunity to leave that life behind for good, Count Fujiwara (Jung-woo Ha) devised a plan to get Sookee close to the Lady, with the intention to convince the heiress to marry him instead of her Uncle. Soon after she married the Count, he planned to put Lady Hideko in a mental hospital and keep all of her money to himself. He would give Sookee a cut of the wealth, as well as give her all of the Lady’s clothes and beautiful garments. Sookee knows that following through with the plan is her ticket out of her dead-end life, however, she never anticipated growing so personally attached to and falling in love with Lady Hideko, which leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew and wanted.
“The Handmaiden” is divided into three distinct parts, and what I have just described takes place in just the first act. Needless to say, there is much more drama to unfold in the second and third part. The second act delves deeper into the Lady’s childhood growing up alone and her relationship with her twisted uncle, a man who collects pornographic novels and forces his young niece to read them aloud to grown men. While the first act leaves the viewer with one sense of how the film is going to progress, the second act turns that theory upside down. We revisit scenes that occurred in the first act through a new lens in the second and third acts, proving that what you think you know… you really don’t.
Park Chan-wook’s phenomenal storytelling abilities are on heightened display here. Using the three-part structure to tell the same story through three very distinct characters gives the film a tangible sense of fullness. Scenes that seemed to be abruptly cut off at the height of tension are revisited and followed through in later acts. Park Chan-wook doesn’t hold back from getting graphic, but he does so in a way that doesn’t feel overly pornographic for shock’s sake. The energy he creates from the environment, the characters, and the situations make for one truly unforgettable viewing experience.
All of the performances are effective and wildly entertaining, but it is the debut from actress Kim Tae-ri who plays Sookee that is truly mesmerizing. Tae-ri beat out over 1,500 other actresses to secure the part and it is to her advantage that she had little to no acting experience prior. Her demeanor can best be likened to ‘Belle’ in “Beauty and the Beast.” Both have an innocence that is only intensified by their large, doe-eyes when cautiously roaming through the large estate that is filled with books. While at first naive, they are self-sufficient and prove to have a backbone when they feel like they’re in jeopardy. This may be just a coincidence, but even Sookee’s outfit– a blue long-sleeved dress with a white apron– also seems reminiscent of the Disney princess.
If you were not familiar with Park Chan-wook’s impressive filmography (credits include “Oldboy” and “Thirst”), before “The Handmaiden,” then you are in for a mind-blowing experience. Often regarded as a Renaissance man of Korean cinema, Park Chan-wook does what all excellent filmmakers strive to do– create a technically engrossing and emotionally compelling story that resonates with its audience long after the credits have stopped rolling. “The Handmaiden” should serve as an example of masterfully executed cinema from both sides of the camera. Despite “The Handmaiden’s” rather lengthy runtime with both Japanese and Korean subtitles, this is the rare occurrence where I am actually looking forward to re-watching the film again, knowing that when I do, I’ll walk away with an even deeper appreciation of Park Chan-wook’s unique style.
‘The Handmaiden’ is not rated and runs 144 minutes. Now playing at ArcLight Cinemas, The Landmark, and other select theaters.
