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Monday, July 14, 2008

The Peter Pan Formula (Piteopaeneui gongshik/피터팬의 공식 -2005)

Peter Pan Formula Poster
Starring:
Ju-wan On ... Han Soo
Ho-jung Kim ... In Hee
Ji-young Ok ... Mi Jin
Min-ji Park ... Min Ji
Sung-ha Cho
Jun-yeong Seo
Hee-seon Son - Mother

In a town on South Korea's east coast, moody Kim Han-su (On Ju-wan) is a talented high school swimmer who wants to be the best -- and not just in Asia. But when his mother, who is suffering from depression, attempts suicide and ends up in a coma, Han-su quits the swim team, despite protests from his coach, and retreats into his own world.

Faced with a large medical bill -- mom had no savings, and dad left years ago -- Han-su ends up robbing convenience stores. Meanwhile, the hormonal youth has started fantasizing about an attractive, married neighbor, music teacher Yu In-heui (Kim Ho-jeong), who he watches playing piano across the way. When a pair of her panties blow off a clothesline, they end up in his hands -- and more.

Film's early scenes clearly establish Han-su's private world with a touch of unreality that prepares the viewer for subsequent events. Script takes its biggest gamble in a scene where In-heui bumps into Han-su and bluntly asks him (a) whether it was he who stole her underwear, and (b) whether he masturbated with it. He, equally bluntly, asks to have sex with her and she refuses; but she does come by regularly to give him hand-jobs, and the two start a secret, low-key romance.

It's a measure of the film's command of mood to that point that this whole section -- marbled with straight-faced humor -- works. Further weirdness develops with the arrival of In-heui's stepdaughter, Min-ji, who's been spending time in a sanatorium due to what she claims was a rape. She takes a liking to Han-su and immediately suggests they start dating; later, however, In-heui warns Han-su that he should be careful, as Min-ji is still "sick."

Even stranger things are happening in the hospital where Han-su's mom lies unconscious. One night, he secretly witnesses a young woman, Mi-jin, ending the life of her own mother in the bed opposite. But it's this act which eventually leads Han-su to liberate himself.



Wow! Umm? This was weird to the 100th power. It started out really interesting. Umm, watching Han-soo masterbate was a little "thrilling". *heh-heh*

I don't really understand the last 30 minutes of the movie. It threw me for a loop. I think it wasn't supposed to be literal. I mean....hell, I don't know what I mean. I don't know if he really died when he was out in the ocean and everything after that wasn't real. Because from that point on, everything else didn't make sense. His mom wakes from a coma, gets up walks down the hall naked and not a single person seemed to notice....so was she really dead? Hell, it was all so freakin' confusing. Somehow, this movie went from really intriguing to ALL WRONG.

So if you are willing to watch this movie, even if it's for the eye candy factor, go right on ahead. I won't stop you. Just so as you know the last part will screw your mind and don't come to me crying because I'm still dumbfuzzled.........

On Ju Wan
Ohn Joo WanOHN JOO WANOhn Joo Wan

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