[HanCinema's Film Review] "Go Back"

As it has become evident during the recent years, the way for genre movies to evolve beyond their crowd-pleasing, cliched approach is to incorporate actual social issues in the narrative, with Bong Joon-ho being one of the pioneers of this path. So Eun-young attempts to do something similar with "Go Back", a film that is a whodunit in its basis, but also deals with issues such as parenting, abuse, patriarchy and the way the law functions.

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Ji-won is a highly motivated new policewoman, who has a temper though, which actually forbids her from becoming more central in the operations of the precinct she works in. Oh-soon is a social worker with the same anger issue, who finds herself entangled in the case of Bo-ra, a little girl that seems to be repeatedly abused, but due to a law that states that one parent should confess to abuse in order for the social services to take charge, is essentially unable to help her. While an abductor who has kidnapped a kid and is asking for 1000 won ransom from every Korean in order to release the child has all society in tangles, the two women come closer together. A death, however, makes things even more complicated.

Through a narrative approach that begins as 'what will happen' before turning to 'whodunit', So Eun-young creates a very entertaining crime thriller, which retains agony from beginning to end, particularly through the excellent placement of twists. At the same time, and in a mixture that emerges as the movie's best asset, she also retains art-house aesthetics in pace and the overall realism that permeates the movie, while making a number of very pointed, very pragmatic comments about Korean society.

In that fashion, the laws about child abuse are essentially ridiculed throughout the movie, while the comment that the local society is still very much a male-dominated one, emerges through a number of instances. Also very interesting is the way she presents her two protagonists, who, in this case, are not vulnerable women searching for the help of some man, but essentially exhibit traits usually associated with the other sex, being ambitious, intelligent, resolved, and with an intense temper. This element could emerge as a polemic in favour of feminism, also because both of them appear to be single, but in the capable hands of So, is actually an organic part of the narrative. Lastly, the way that everything that happens on a society-wide scale, in this case the kidnapping issue, leads to some sort of polarization, is also presented here, as much as how varying people's values tend to be.

Considering the aforementioned, the acting of the protagonists emerges as a rather crucial element, but thankfully, the performances by Park Ha-sun as Oh-soon and Ha Yoon-kyung as Kim Ji-won are excellent, in perfect resonance with the film's overall aesthetics. Furthermore, the moments the two of them lash out, and their meetings, emerge as some of the movie's best moments. Also of note is the acting of Gam So-hyun as Yoon Bo-ra, who presents her trauma, struggle and an eventual transformation in the best way possible, despite her age.

Jung Gi-wook's cinematography highlights all the aforementioned elements with artistry and realism, in a style that looks art-house but also caters to the thriller aspect of the movie, particularly in the scenes in cramped apartments at night. The same applies to Lee Young-lim's editing, who implements a pace that is occasionally fast, occasionally slow, according to the situation, while the placement of twists/flashbacks is well done.

Granted, some plot holes, particularly on the way some twists of the movie seem somewhat far-fetched, do exist, but in general, "Go Back" emerges as a rather interesting and entertaining movie that shows the way genre cinema should follow.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"Go Back" is directed by Seo Eun-young, and features Park Ha-sun, Ha Yoon-kyung, Gam So-hyun, Seo Young-hwa, Jung Eun-pyo, Kim Pyung-jo. Release date in Korea: 2021/02/24.

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