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Siworae (2000) More at IMDbPro »

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34 out of 37 people found the following comment useful :-
subtle, melancholic, magical love story, 19 May 2004
Author: nelirehs from Philippines

Subtle, melancholic, magical. The movie is almost comparable to another Asian film jewel, Love Letter (1995) in terms of the subtleness and slow build-up of the plot; where the platonic relationship between the protagonists help make the love story almost ethereal, and yet very grounded and real, at the same time. The love story is polite and decent, with different shades of melancholy, that at times it edges into sappiness. However, this "sappiness" is only like a pinch of salt which adds additional flavor to the already deliciously rich mood of the film. In terms of story-telling, cinematography and acting skills, it is almost flawless, and after the closing credits, it will leave you utterly breathless. The mood will stay with you long after you've seen it -- i think that's the magical domain of the film -- not only in terms of plot, but more so, the effect it brings to the viewers. A truly cinematic experience you shouldn't miss!

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27 out of 31 people found the following comment useful :-
Life of isolation, 30 December 2001
9/10
Author: lulu88 from Hong Kong

A heart-wrenchingly beautifully filmed movie -- the cinematography is absolutely perfect and it makes me wonder whether Korean seaside residences are all that beautiful. But after a little while I sense this alarming message -- these days we prefer living in isolation and talk to people we do not know, and even regard them as our "true love" without any real contact (see the booming of ICQ), while on the other hand, we refuse to give the ones around us a chance, as Sung-Hyun did to his father and ex-girlfriend. I am not sure if this is what the movie is trying to say but it's such a sad reality...

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22 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
Epic, 7 October 2003
10/10
Author: Stuart from Melbourne, Australia

- Il Mare: 10/10

The perfect love story, not too soppy and never boring because of another incredible concept out of Asian cinema. This time, a man and woman are exchanging letters, one in 1997 and one in 1999. Sound good? Oh yes. This is just incredible, a perfect, beautiful, memorable movie with great attention to detail and some exquisite cinematography. One of the best films ever.

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16 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Romance aside, there are other things in Il Mare worth talking about, 18 February 2003
Author: Harry T. Yung (harry_tk_yung@yahoo.com) from Hong Kong

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Spoiler warning: These comments tell all, and are therefore only for those who (a) have seen the movie or (b) have not seen the movie but don't mind finding out everything about the plot.

There is no question that Il Mare is a wonderful romance story, although the subtle Korean style may not appeal to an average North American audience. What it reminds me of, funny enough, is Ladyhawke (remember Michelle Pfeiffer?). Once you make this connection, however, it's not difficult to notice the striking similarity. In both stories, the romantic pair do not meet until the very end, but for different reasons. In Ladyhawke, she is a hawk by day ahd he a wolf by night. The situation in Il Mare is far more complicated and will take some explaining to unravel.

Before the unraveling of the Time element in Il Mare, it is interesting to note the difference in the way the two endings are handled. In Ladyhawke, when the curse was broken and both finally appear together in human form, he gave her a fierce embrace, lifted her slightly off the ground and spun around in a final scene that fills the audience with ecstasy and joy of a final fulfillment long denied. In Il Mare, the finale is handled in a much more reserved manner, when they didn't even touch physically. The joy experienced by the audience here is more subtle.

Now to Einstein's Theory of Relativity. The mystery of Time has provided the plot for many a movie, among the most notable of which are: Time Machine, Somewhere in Time, Back to the Future. Similar to these three, the key element in Il mare is an attempt to change something in the past, or to create an alternative "life line", so to speak.

We mustn't however let the similarity obscure the one big difference. Unlike any of the other three, there's nobody in Il Mare who actually "traveled" through Time i.e. physically move back to a different Time. This is what makes this movie so clever and unique. It avoids altogether the paradox that haunts the idea of time travel: meeting yourself (your "double").

Il Mare does not have this problem. The interaction is only through a magical mail box which delivers letters between two Times, 1998 and 2000, to be exact. It all starts in 2000, when the girl puts a letter in the mailbox of the house she is vacating, intending it for the next occupant. The reply, to her great surprise, comes from a guy in 1998. Now, we have a situation in which the girl knows in general what has happened since 1998 although she does not know specifically where this guy is in her "present" of 2000. The guy, on the other hand, knows that the girl can tell him things that has happened between their respective "present"s of 1998 and 2000.

They finally agrees to meet at a Time that is "future" to both of them, which is two years away for him, but just the next week for her. But when he does not show up at the rendezvous, she is left wondering whether he has changed he mind. Then comes the final climax when she finds out that he was killed in an accident back in 1998 and desparately tries to send a letter back to warn him. In the happy ending, we are back in the opening scene, when he shows up BEFORE she puts that first letter in the mail box. The interesting final state of affair is that the guy knows what has gone on "before", i.e. the exchange of letters, including the final one that warns him and saves him from the fatal accident. For the girl, however, this "reality" has been wiped out entirely! As far as she is concerned, she has never put the first letter in the mail box and will just live happily ever after with this guy she just met.

There are other subtleties that I wouldn't go further into. The plot has been very carefully woven, with great attention to details. The movie is well written and well acted, with lovely music, beautiful cinematography, and altogether well worth seeing.

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17 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
excellent!, 27 May 2004
10/10
Author: ebios from Seattle, Washington

This film is one of those films that makes you think about the story after a few days. The soundtrack and scenery creates a feeling of depression among the lead characters and they find happiness when they communicate to each other about their problems. This creates a slow moving pace, but yet it captures your attention throughout the film because the pain and emotions of the characters are believable and intriguing. The element communicating in different times, like the movie "Frequency", is part of the appeal as well.

It's also interesting the way they incorporated the topic of architecture into the story and scenery. Great cinematography and use of soundtrack.

It's strange the movie isn't as big of a hit. It's probably because of low budgeting in the marketing department. Anyways, go see it if you haven't, you will be pleasantly impressed.

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14 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Another soapy time-travel romance, another great date movie, 25 August 2004
Author: Brian Thibodeau from Sarnia, Ontario

IL MARE (2001) Another soapy time-travel romance that, if you watch it in the right frame of mind, could have you in tears. It's about a guy who finds a letter in the mailbox of his new seaside rental house from the previous tenant advising him about little things that haven't happened yet, like the paw prints his dog leaves on the floor days later! In trying to meet the woman who wrote the letter, he comes to realize she lives about a year or two ahead of him in the timeline, and lived in the house after he vacated it. He asks her to find him in the future, but she can't... Like DITTO, the film manages to defy conventions on a couple of occasions, and it's internal logic is solid enough that you don't think about it too hard. Another great date film, again provided you're not too cynical about such things. I give it a 9.

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18 out of 24 people found the following comment useful :-
Beautiful, weird, and compelling..., 23 September 2001
8/10
Author: Gonkiz from Lund, Sweden

This is the most romantic and weird film I've ever seen. Delightful and very romantic, this film inspires. I had an overwhelming urge to go home and design something after seeing it. Not to mention dropping letters into mailboxes. Visually, the movie is incredibly beautiful. The storyline is also quite original for a love story. I don't know what else to say except see it, if you get the opportunity.

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10 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
A truly unique romance, 10 January 2002
Author: Jerome Chen from Seattle,WA,USA/Seoul,Korea

First of all, the music throughout the movie is just breathtaking and it fits very well with the movie. Although it is a different kind od romance, it is still very interesting. Even the view of the house and of Chejudo are amazing. I've only been there once, but I guess I missed the beaches. Anyways this movie is definately once you should put on your list.

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13 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
This is a movie for a very romantically lonely person, 2 December 2001
9/10
Author: (wildscreen@mail.com) from Bangkok,Thailand

This is a movie for a very romantically lonely person,you go the theater alone to see beautiful people suffering from love lost,feeling sympathy for them and have a great relieve at the end of the movie,you must think that those ending could happen in your life too!

This movie is beautiful, come with a very sweet music,the production is on par with any European movie,the script is very well written and there is an element that become a special present for viewer who love a beautifully design things.If you think it's time to have a better movie to replace " Somewhere In Time" in a reference about very much loved sad movie you may give this movie a 10,if you looking for an alternative to Hollywood movie you might give it a 10 too.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Story of two people who exchange letters across time is a very good romance even if you're not in a romantic mood, 29 January 2006
7/10
Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The plot of this movie goes something like this.... A young woman leaving a house called Il Mare because it stands on a pier in the sea leaves a note for the next occupant of the house. The idea is to greet the next occupant and to ask them to send her any mail addressed to her since she expecting some important letters (from her boyfriend who's learning animation in America). The letter is picked up by a young man who is an aspiring architect but who works building bridges to pay the rent. He has just moved into Il Mare...as its first tenant...two years before the girl's letter was sent. What transpires is a conversation in letters as boy and girl exchange letters across time.

This is a beautiful to look at (I love Il Mare the house) and to listen to movie (I'm going to have to track down the soundtrack). In a way this plays like a time traveling version of 84 Charring Cross Road with much of the story told simply through the letters. In some ways its a story of two isolated people connecting through time, even though there is no way they should be able to. I think that one review of the film I read was right in away in that this film is a weird sort of take on the IMing culture as well as anyone who spends too much time on the computer and so isolates themselves from human contact.(This also has echoes of Voices of a Distant Star) This is a very nice little romance about two people who at first think their connection is a joke and then find that they are somehow becoming friends. For the most part it manages to keep you from thinking about the problems that "time travel" stories usually engender. Basically if you give yourself over to it you'll have yourself a good time.

This isn't to say that there aren't problems, there are. As I said the film deals with people who aren't connecting with each other and a good portion of the film is taken up by the two leads moving around not connecting to people. Yes they talk to people (The girls best friend runs a manga store- and she does voice acting) but mostly they are are off in their own little worlds. It gets rather tiring since it feels more like a play than a movie at times, the movie in the wrong frame of mind (which I was in) will make the movie seem much longer than its 95 minutes.(Worse I thought I would jump a head...bad mistake since I had to go back to make sense of what I saw) Still its a nice romance that moved me (I'm not afraid to say I had a tear in my eye). Definitely worth seeing if you're so inclined.

7 out of 10 (Higher if you're in the right frame of mind)

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