Recalled
Plot
*Spoiler Free Review*
Trying to live peacefully amongst the chaos of the real world can be as challenging as it gets. But, what happens when a tragic accident wipes away any memory you have of your life? What happens when you don’t know who you are? What happens when you wake up in a hospital bed and you are told that an unfamiliar person is your partner? What happens when your are sent home with this stranger? The Korean movie ‘Recalled’ (literally translated as “Memories of Tomorrow”) shows us the shock and confusion Kim Soo Jin (Seo Yea Ji) is going through when her new life is made up using fragments from someone else’s memories of her.
Cast
With a short screen-time of 90 minutes, this film seems shorter in comparison to a normal k-drama episode but it is jam packed with trills. Seo Yea Ji is gem to watch on screen, be it a K-Drama or a K-Movie. This being a movie with minimal casting, we see Seo Yea Ji in her prime as she emulsifies into the psyche of Soo Jin. In this mystery-thriller – if Seo Yea Ji creates the thrills, Kim Kang Woo creates the mystery. It is eerie watching him go from a doting husband to an intimidating aggressor. Despite having a few other characters these two main leads, kept passing the baton of spotlight amongst each other.
Screenplay
While dropping tiny hints, the makers of this film are trying to gauge the vigilance in their audiences. It is impossible to catch on to these insinuations when they first appear on screen but, as soon as the mystery unfolds, all those hints suddenly play right before your eyes. The story unfolds beautifully and everything that felt confusing suddenly starts to make sense and you start calming down. Mind you, the makers are not willing to let you do so. They introduce a twist towards the end of the movie that makes you stop and rethink what you just watched.
Cinematography
It is extremely subtle but quite interesting to watch how Soo Jin’s premonitions are rushed and never screened using a steady frame. This cinematic trick could be imposed in order to portray the rush and pandemonium inside Soo Jin’s mind.
Color definitely plays an important role in setting the mood in this movie. You may note that all of Soo Jin’s foreshadowing scenes are red in order to denote threat and danger. The scenes where Soo Jin tries to recollect her memories from the past are blue or green denoting tranquility and calmness. The overtly yellow and orange undertones in the finale signifies a bright and warm climax. One where she is finally happy. This famous trick has been subtly added to this movie which is just admirable.
Personal Opinion
As an avid TV show enthusiast I mostly reach out to shows or dramas leaving out movies. What can I say? I enjoy commitment! Watching Seo Yea Ji in It’s Okay To Not Be Okay made me fall in love with her screen presence. While browsing for something to watch I found Recalled. I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed because it was Seo Yea Ji combined with mystery and triller. All of my faves. Watching Soo Jin try and fail to diffuse dangerous situations was a very frustrating but seeing her finally find peace within herself was therapeutic. Some scenes just caught you off-guard while the other few were quite expected. One scene in particular seemed plainly absurd to me if you ask. You’ll know it once you see it! When you do, I hope you are able to put my mind to rest when you answer this – Who uses such a runny cement mixture during construction?
Disclaimer: The above review solely illustrates the views of the writer.