Jeon Do-yeon gives a harrowing performance in SECRET SUNSHINE
SECRET SUNSHINE (MILYANG) (Lee Chang-dong, 2007)
IFC Center
323 Sixth Ave. at Third St.
Opens Wednesday, December 22
212-924-7771
www.ifccenter.com
Lee Chang-dong’s fourth film — and his first since 2002’s OH AH SHISOO (OASIS) — is a harrowing examination of immeasurable grief. After losing her husband, Lee Shin-ae (Jeon Do-yeon) decides to move with her young son, Jun (Seon Jeong-yeob), to Milyang, her late husband’s hometown. Milyang, which means “secret sunshine,” is a typical South Korean small town, where everyone knows everybody. Restarting her life, Shin-ae gets help from Kim Jong-chan (Song Kang-ho), a local mechanic who takes an immediate liking to her. But Shin-ae is more concerned with settling down with her son and giving piano lessons. But when a horrific tragedy strikes, she begins to unravel, refusing help from anyone until she turns to religion, but even that does not save her from her ever-darkening sadness. Cannes Best Actress winner Jeon gives a remarkable, devastating performance, holding nothing back as she fights for her sanity. Song, best known for his starring role in THE HOST, is charming as Jong-chan, a friendly man who is a little too simple to understand the depth of what is happening to Shin-ae. Don’t let the nearly two-and-a-half-hour running time scare you away; SECRET SUNSHINE is an extraordinary film that does not feel nearly that long. (Lee’s next film, POETRY, was released earlier this year in South Korea.)