SYNOPSIS:
As
an heir to family fortune, Jin-hyuk has money, the looks,
the charm, everything except finding the love of his life.
So he sets up a cake shop where woman are sure to come. He
hires Sun-woo, a talented patissier who had a crush on Jin-hyuk
back in high school. Along with and ex-boxing champion Gi-beom
and a clueless bodyguard Su-young, the four unique and handsome
young men stir up the quiet neighbourhood at their cake shop,
Antique. Although seemingly careless and happy, each of the
four men have unforgettable past that they are afraid to face.
But their secrets slowly begin to unravel...
MOVIE REVIEW:
Chances are the reason that you’re watching this 2008 movie is because of Joo Ji Hoon or Kim Jae Wook. Both Joo, the star of the hit Korean TV series “Princess Hours” and Kim, the star of the equally popular TV series “Coffee Prince”, headline this seemingly fluffy movie about four men who open a neighbourhood pastry shop called “Antique”. While the presence of four pretty boys may just recall the “Boys Over Flowers” drama series, director Min Kyu-Dong’s adaptation of the manga by Fumi Yoshinaga actually turns out to be something surprisingly original.
For a while, Min makes you believe that you’re watching yet another idol-driven movie, especially since the first half-hour bears many of these trademarks- whimsical comedy, candy-coated colourful visuals, and snappy MTV-like editing. The tone here is light, and the mood jovial, as Min introduces the audience to Jin-Hyuk (the owner of the shop), Seon-Woo (the genius pastry chef openly homosexual, with a particular fondness for Jin-Hyuk since high school), Ki-Beom (the former championship boxer turned waiter) and Su-Yeong (Jin Hyuk’s bodyguard).
With a fleet-footed jaunty pace, the film establishes the camaraderie among its four male characters. Through the ins and outs of running the business, Min carefully builds the working relationship among the foursome, while hinting at their personal troubled pasts. As is slowly evident during the course of the movie, each one of the male characters has some hidden secret linked to cake. Up front and centre is Jin-Hyuk’s disappearance when he was a child for two months, thought to be kidnapped but mysteriously freed without incident thereafter.
Jin-Hyuk’s quest to find his kidnapper is the backbone of the last third of the movie, that valiantly but confidently veers from comedy into thriller territory. Not to spoil the surprise for you, but the genre change requires deftness for it to work and director Min, who is no stranger to genre reversals (like his lesbian love story “Memento Mori” told with the aesthetics of a horror film) does a wonderful job blending the elements together. Just as skilfully, he manoeuvres the dramatic elements of the film- Seon-Woo’s discovery of his sexuality, and Ki-Beom’s fall from grace.
The surprising depth of each one of his characters makes Min’s “Antique” stand out from the rest of the fluffy idol-driven movies that Korea churns out ever so regularly, and probably one reason why this comedy/thriller has been invited to several film festivals worldwide (including our very own Korean Film Festival this year). Joo and Kim also shine in their respective roles, with Kim easily the crowd-pleaser and for fans of “Coffee Prince” a less inhibited ‘gayish’ performance.
So don’t let the plentiful eye candy on the cover of this DVD fool you- this isn’t just another chick-flick accessible only to the hordes of swooning Korean pop culture fans out there. Rather, it is a charmingly thoughtful movie about the painful memories of the past we all have to deal with at some point or another in our lives, the kind that won’t simply go away- or perhaps only for a fleeting moment- simply with sweet indulgences like cake. Min’s film is a rich blend of the bitter and sweet, a reflection of the bitter-sweet of our lives, and a tantalising treat not to be missed.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio makes sparing use of the back speakers during the film’s musical interludes. Otherwise, most of the dialogue and ambient sounds are very front-loaded. Visuals are clean and sharp, and colours look particularly vibrant onscreen.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING:
Review by Gabriel Chong
Posted on 20 December 2010
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