Review of The Way Home (2002) by Kenr — 08 May 2021

Lee Jeong Hyang’s thoughtful film examining the differences of city-bred kids (and their parents) with the lives of their isolated grandparents in an outback, unsophisticated peasant village. This simple Korean tale unfolds at a leisurely pace as we follow the care and attention freely given by a grandmother to her daughters 7yr old son - underlining the astute differences of those leading a simple sparse life, against those with more than they truly need, breeding an attitude of expectant selfishness. The visuals, both rich and sparse are accompanied by a simple but mostly pleasing musical score reminiscent in style (but not as lush) as earlier classics like ‘The Red Balloon and ‘Louisiana Story’. The boy and Grandmother (played by Kim Eul Boon who at 78 had never even seen a movie before!) are well cast and richly played - with some grueling scenes of the hardships that make up the everyday life of this simple, hardworking woman, etching out an existence in a harsh environment and selflessly giving of herself for her visiting charge.

Good comparative piece for thoughtful audiences.