Broker is a film that is, all at once, a dramatic crime drama and a flighty, easy going road trip following people forced by life onto a crooked path. It might be a little too low energy and actionless for some, but by the end, it feels like a wonderful drama about a group of people burdened by life who have managed to come together for something of a greater purpose, even if that purpose goes against social standards.
The wonderful Song Kang-ho, of critically hailed Parasite, is the consistently upbeat lead who connects unwanted babies to parents unable to have children for payment. When the mother of his latest acquired child returns, he, the woman, and his partner hit the road to find a good home for the child. In the mix are a couple of criminals, the cops trying to end their operation, and another orphaned boy wanting to join in the journey. The inclusion of cops and criminal elements gives the film some urgency, as it create a crime drama angle that adds energy to it. Despite this, it's still a slow moving affair mostly focused on the drama surrounding our four main characters, all of whom connect to abandonment in some way. It creates a variety of stories to tell and lends an ear to those who slip through the cracks of society, from women who give birth too young to those unwanted children who wait year after year for a new family.
It's supported by wonderful and, at times, powerful acting and a story that is easy to connect with. Again, this is a slow moving story that, at times, feels light on the dramatic side. But the emotion that comes with the story and where it all leads, with us able to realize how each of these individuals connects to it and their own stories or loss and heartache, is worthwhile. It's thought provoking, bringing out of the shadows people we so often don't even give a thought to. This film is here to remind us of those lost and buried by a society that all too often looks the other way.
The wonderful Song Kang-ho, of critically hailed Parasite, is the consistently upbeat lead who connects unwanted babies to parents unable to have children for payment. When the mother of his latest acquired child returns, he, the woman, and his partner hit the road to find a good home for the child. In the mix are a couple of criminals, the cops trying to end their operation, and another orphaned boy wanting to join in the journey. The inclusion of cops and criminal elements gives the film some urgency, as it create a crime drama angle that adds energy to it. Despite this, it's still a slow moving affair mostly focused on the drama surrounding our four main characters, all of whom connect to abandonment in some way. It creates a variety of stories to tell and lends an ear to those who slip through the cracks of society, from women who give birth too young to those unwanted children who wait year after year for a new family.
It's supported by wonderful and, at times, powerful acting and a story that is easy to connect with. Again, this is a slow moving story that, at times, feels light on the dramatic side. But the emotion that comes with the story and where it all leads, with us able to realize how each of these individuals connects to it and their own stories or loss and heartache, is worthwhile. It's thought provoking, bringing out of the shadows people we so often don't even give a thought to. This film is here to remind us of those lost and buried by a society that all too often looks the other way.