right now, wrong then (2015)

To watch Right Now, Wrong Then is to dive into and swim around in its quiet realism. Long, still shots in which the camera barely moves render you a voyeur, invisibly and patiently observing the incidental meeting of two strangers. The acting is superb, which is what makes it so fascinating to watch the characters gradually open up right in front of you. I was already Kim Minhee's biggest fan (she was in The Handmaiden my favorite movie!!), but to see such a skilled performance from her made me fall in love with her all over again.

awkward turtles

I can't talk about this film without talking about the trick it employs halfway through - it rewinds to the beginning and the characters make different decisions as they go through the same plot points. Namely, in the second half Director Ham approaches Heejung in a way that is more honest and transparent, which allows her the space to be more of herself in return. Their short relationship is tweaked in subtle ways that build upon each other, culminating in an ending in which nothing has changed -- they still go their separate ways -- except for the way they feel about each other. 

I can think of so many productions that employ this rewind-and-go-again format (Tatami Galaxy, the play Constellations, Groundhog Day...) and it's easy to see what is so compelling. The format allows us to live out the alternative universes in which all but the factor you choose are held constant. It's like conducting a science experiment. What went wrong the first time? What could have been? A fantasy, observed from a safe distance. 

Of course, though the second version of the story gives us the sense of wish fulfillment for both characters, the encounter isn't perfect. It's nice that Director Ham is honest about the fact that he is married, but given that the current story is happening I would surmise his marriage has some serious issues! He also criticizes Heejung's painting and upsets her, and repeatedly tells her she is pretty without even invitation. Despite being overall more likeable in the second half, he is masculine and patronizing in the way he talks to her, unable to shake the arrogance that plagues him as a famous movie director and as a man. To see the "better" half of the story fall far from perfect is perhaps a comfort to those of us who are regretful or hung up on the past, or a warning to those who think that life is anything but messy. (To make matters worse, the director of the actual movie had an affair with Kim Minhee what the fuck!!? Was this whole project just a way for him to live out his own fantasy of taking advantage of a young beautiful actress with whom he would have no chance with without the power differential this project provides him??? Was the whole plot to like psychologically prime her to fall in love with him?? I am as always highly skeptical of powerful men's motivations but idk though I don't want to deny Kim Minhee any agency. Also I just google'd this and apparently they are in love. Omg. Ugh ok let's make a futile attempt to separate the art from the artist starting..... now... ... .. . )

Overall, this movie is a lovely meditation on human interaction and all of the beauty and shared connection and pain and disgust that comes with it. Looking forward to watching the director's new movie coming out this month, On the Beach at Night Alone, ALSO starring Kim Minhee, ALSO about her falling in love with a movie director. *facepalm*