REVIEW ‘A Normal Family’ depicts moral dilemma behind parents' guilt
Seen are actors Kim Hee-ae, from top right clockwise, Jang Dong-gun, Sul Kyung-gu and Claudia Kim in a scene from “A Normal Family.” Courtesy of Hive Media Corp
If a beloved son or daughter committed a deadly crime, should parents conceal it? Or should they turn their child in to face the consequences of their crime?
"A Normal Family" features lawyer Jae-wan (Sul Kyung-gu), his brother and pediatrician Jae-gyu (Jang Dong-gun) and their wives Ji-su (Claudia Kim) and Yeon-kyung (Kim Hee-ae), respectively, who lead stable, high-income lives and pursue their respective fields diligently.
However, the lives of these seemingly enviable couples crumble when CCTV footage reveals their children beating a homeless person to death.
The suspense film is set in confined spaces with a few characters, which, if poorly directed, could drastically reduce audience immersion.
However, veteran director Hur Jin-ho cleverly unravels the drama by posing a challenging question to the audience: "What choices would you make if your child was a criminal?"
He depicts the evolving psychological tension among the characters, propelling the plot through their shifting morals and desperate decisions. This approach invites the audience to reflect on what the right choice would be, while gradually steering the characters toward an inevitable catastrophe.
Adapted from Dutch writer Herman Koch's novel "The Dinner," Hur revealed he was initially concerned about making a decent adaptation, given the excellence of previous versions. However, he managed to make the 116-minute runtime fly through a well-structured story and dense editing.
Actors Jang Dong-gun, left, and Sul Kyung-gu are seen in a scene from “A Normal Family.” Courtesy of Hive Media Corp
Jae-wan is portrayed as a high-profile lawyer willing to defend even malicious criminals for high fees, yet he's a devoted family man at home. Jae-gyu is a doctor faithfully fulfilling his duty to save lives. Jae-gyu and his wife Yeon-kyung strive to live exemplary lives by volunteering abroad and caring for Jae-gyu's mother.
During their regular dinners, the brothers clash over the issue of sending their dementia-stricken mother to a nursing home. Additionally, Jae-wan's new wife Ji-su and Yeon-kyung engage in uncomfortable tension regarding Jae-wan's academically successful daughter and Jae-gyu's son who suffers from school violence.
As in the original novel's title, the dinners these couples have hold special significance in the Korean film adaption as well. Of the three dinners depicted, the first shows the tension between the couples, the second one portrays the conflict after learning of their children's crime and the last dinner depicts them at the point of no return.
The highlight of the film is the natural emotional changes displayed by the four lead actors, who are all parents in real life, as they face this situation and decide what course of action to take.
Jae-gyu and his wife, who strive to realize humanitarian ideals, and Jae-wan, who seems to live in pursuit of money, all struggle with contemplating over the right choice for their children. They experience emotional changes as they agonize over their decisions and regret over the choices they've made.
The movie tackles some heavy and uncomfortable material. It surprisingly manages to keep the tension tight throughout its runtime, but with some laugh-out-loud black comedy scenes keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
“A Normal Family” will hit theaters on Oct. 9.