TEHRAN- “Mother”, a 2009 neo-noir thriller film by prominent South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho, was reviewed at the Andisheh Cultural Center in Tehran on Tuesday on the occasion of National Mother's Day.  

Film critics Mohsen Soleimani Fakher and Minoo Khani attended a screening of the film followed by a review session.

"Mother" explores themes of maternal devotion, justice, and the dark complexities of human morality. The story revolves around a humble mother living in a small town in southern South Korea, whose life takes a harrowing turn when her intellectually disabled son becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a young girl.

The narrative begins with an unnamed widow who makes her living selling medicinal herbs and performing unlicensed acupuncture treatments to local women, trying to help them erase their bad memories. Her only son, Yoon Do-joon, is a shy young man with an intellectual disability, prone to violent outbursts when mocked. She loves him deeply but is often overwhelmed by the hardships of their modest life. When Do-joon and a local thug named Jin-tae vandalize a car after a confrontation, Jin-tae blames Do-joon for damaging his vehicle, setting off a chain of events that lead to mounting debts for the mother.

One night, Do-joon witnesses a high school girl, Moon Ah-jung, walking alone and follows her. Tragically, she is found dead the next morning on a rooftop, her murder shocking the town and prompting an investigation by police that seem incapable of solving the case. Circumstantial evidence quickly points to Do-joon, leading to his arrest. The mother, convinced of his innocence, dedicates herself to proving the truth and freeing her son. Her efforts are met with skepticism and hostility from the police, her lawyer, and the community, all of whom quickly judge Do-joon guilty.

Desperate for answers, she investigates Jin-tae, suspecting him of the murder. Her probing reveals that Ah-jung had a secret relationship with a boy named Jong-pal, who had escaped from a sanatorium. The mother also learns that Ah-jung had a cellphone with photos she intended to print, and that she may have been blackmailing her peers. These discoveries point her towards the possibility that the girl’s murder was more complex than it initially appeared.

Through a series of interviews and investigations, the mother uncovers a crucial piece of evidence: a man who saw Do-joon in the abandoned building on the night of the murder. This man, a junk collector, reveals that he witnessed Do-joon hitting Ah-jung with a large rock, unintentionally killing her, and then dragging her to the rooftop. Overwhelmed by guilt and unable to accept her son’s involvement, the mother attacks the collector and sets fire to his house to conceal the truth.

Later, the police identify Jong-pal as the real culprit, based on evidence of Ah-jung’s blood on his shirt. It turns out that the blood was from her nosebleed, not from the murder. Wracked with guilt, the mother visits Jong-pal, who is even more intellectually disabled, and cries for him as he faces wrongful imprisonment. Do-joon is eventually released, and the mother, haunted by the tragic events, begins to accept her son’s innocence.

The film concludes with Do-joon returning her acupuncture kit, which he found among the debris, symbolizing a moment of understanding and reconciliation. The mother, overwhelmed by guilt and grief, chooses to forget the painful truths and begins to dance with other parents on a bus, seeking solace in her own way.

"Mother" was praised worldwide for its powerful storytelling, Kim Hye-ja’s outstanding performance, and Bong Joon Ho’s masterful direction and screenplay. 

It was South Korea’s official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and won numerous awards, including Best Film and Best Actress at various festivals and critics’ associations. The film’s intense emotional depth and nuanced portrayal of maternal love and moral ambiguity have made it a standout in contemporary cinema. It is widely regarded as one of Bong Joon Ho’s best works and a compelling exploration of the human condition.

SAB/