Never Forever (2007)

Director:

Gina Kim

Writer:

Gina Kim

Release Date:

11 April 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

When an American woman begins a dangerous relationship with an attractive immigrant worker, in order to save her marriage, she finds her true self.

Plot Keywords:

Korean | Fertility | Suicide | Fertility Clinic | Catholic

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Vera Farmiga	...	Sophie Lee
David Lee McInnis	...	Andrew Lee (as David McInnis)
Joseph Y. Kim	...	Pastor
Shirley Roeca	...	Tania
Steve Greenstean	...	Piano Mover
Marceline Hugot	...	Dr. Hanson
Colleen Quinlan	...	Nurse #2
Trisha LaFache	...	Receptionist
Jung-woo Ha	...	Jihah
Becky London	...	Interviewer
Carla Harting	...	Nurse #1
Robert Dahey	...	Laundromat Owner
Kari Swenson Riely	...	Miriam
Jackson Pace	...	Adam
Alex Manette	...	Jesse
Hettienne Park	...	Ming Ming
Asa Somers	...	Rich
Richard Yun	...	Store Owner
Richard Chang	...	Chinese Waiter
Ruben Ortiz	...	Jeweler
Susan Mitchell	...	String Quartet (as Susan Mitchel)
James E. Graseck	...	String Quartet (as Jim Grasack)
Sean Grissom	...	String Quartet (as Sean Grisson)
John Pisano	...	String Quartet
Lenny Levi	...	Cab Driver #1
Gurdeep Singh	...	Taxi Driver #2
Eric L. Abrams	...	INS Officer
Clem Cheung	...	Plain Clothed Officer
Marilyn Torres	...	INS Interrogator
Will Pailen	...	Guard
Quinn Peck	...	Sophie's Son
Hwa-shi Lee	...	Mrs. Lee (as Hwa Si Lee)
Ju-Hee Yoon	...	Jihah's girlfriend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Greenstein	...	Moving Man
Ruben C. Ortiz	...	Jeweler
Joseph DeBona	...	Jihah's co-worker (uncredited)

Directed by
Gina Kim

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gina Kim

Produced by
Brian Bell	....	co-producer
Andrew Fierberg	....	producer
Kyung Hyun Kim	....	co-producer
Chang-dong Lee	....	producer
Jun-dong Lee	....	producer (as Lee, Joon-dong)
Seung-jae Lee	....	executive producer
Kelly McCormick	....	associate producer
Per Melita	....	line producer
Danielle Na	....	co-producer
Steven Nam	....	co-producer
Steven Shainberg	....	co-executive producer
Christina Weiss Lurie	....	co-executive producer
Eun-Jung Yoo	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Michael Nyman

Cinematography by
Matthew Clark

Film Editing by
Pete Beaudreau

Casting by
Heidi Levitt
Paul Schnee

Production Design by
Lucio Seixas

Art Direction by
Eric Friedewald

Costume Design by
Tere Duncan

Makeup Department
Sharon Ilson	....	key makeup artist
Theodora Katsoulogiannakis	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Leslie Jacobowitz	....	post-production supervisor
Per Melita	....	production manager
Mamta Trivedi	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Blazina	....	second assistant director
Marco Londoner	....	first assistant director
Mark Romanelli	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Billy Chung	....	art intern
Roxy Gillespie	....	set dresser
Patrick McGowan	....	assistant property master
Meg Vinson	....	set dresser
Alexis Weiss	....	property master

Sound Department
Stephen Barden	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stephen Barden	....	supervising sound editor
Alex Bullick	....	sound effects editor
Josh Neal	....	additional boom operator
Steve F.B. Smith	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Lan Tran	....	foley editor
Randy Wilson	....	foley recordist

Visual Effects by
Jennifer Basnyat	....	title designer

Stunts
Gene Harrison	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Cesar Baptista	....	dolly grip
Cesar Baptista	....	key grip
Terrence C. Burke	....	camera operator
Katie Dainson	....	second assistant camera
Tim Davies	....	key grip
Derek Gross	....	electrician
David Kurt Harris	....	electrician
George Hennah	....	first assistant camera
Jangwook Kim	....	still photographer
Adam Lukens	....	additional grip
Albino Marsetti	....	camera operator
Christian May	....	additional electrician
Colin Oberschmidt	....	grip
Antonio Ponti	....	additional assistant camera
Jennifer Scarlata	....	additional grip
Jaime Segschneider	....	camera loader
Jason Velez	....	gaffer
Zenfeek	....	company electrician

Casting Department
Lauren Fernandes	....	casting associate
Jessica Kelly	....	casting assistant
Rita Powers	....	extras casting
Sean Powers	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
April Cary	....	wardrobe intern
Christie Clarke	....	wardrobe intern
Zairi Malcolm	....	wardrobe assistant
Nikia Nelson	....	wardrobe supervisor
Grace Wilkerson	....	wardrobe intern

Editorial Department
Jason Barnes	....	additional assistant editor
Kiersten Harter	....	first assistant editor
Arthur Montreuil	....	color timer
Mike Patrick	....	assistant editor
Ira Schweitzer	....	dailies colorist
Sarah Jean Porter	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Cotnoir	....	music editor

Other crew
Roslyn Aronowitz	....	production assistant
Beth Avery	....	location manager
Ted Beck	....	production assistant
Andrew Cesana	....	script supervisor
Doug Choi	....	production assistant
Michael Fucci	....	location manager
Steve Grivno	....	location scout (as Stephen Grivno)
Chris Grossmann	....	production assistant
Dongwoo Kang	....	electronic press kit
Matt King	....	assistant location manager
Adam Knobler	....	production intern
Patrick Moran	....	key set production assistant
Karen S. Neasi	....	product placement
J. Brent Peebles	....	production accountant
Lauretta Prevost	....	production assistant
Jason Rogien	....	production assistant
Luke Tomalin Sherman	....	production assistant
Amy Small	....	office production assistant
Jared Traum	....	production secretary
Mamta Trivedi	....	production executive
Kalinda Ukanwa	....	first assistant accountant
Canella Williams	....	production coordinator
Danielle Wilson	....	craft service
Andrea Bigger	....	production assistant (uncredited)
David Magdael	....	publicist (uncredited)
Anne Stulz	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Now Films
• Vox3 Films

Distributors

• Virgil Films & Entertainment (2008) (USA) (all media)
• Gravitas Ventures (2008) (USA) (TV) (VOD)
• Arts Alliance (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Surreal Films (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• Arts Alliance (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Prime Entertainment (2007) (worldwide) (all media)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Media Distributors Film Source  Fuji film provided by
• PostWorks, The Lab  processing

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and some language

Runtime:

USA:90 min (original version) | South Korea:104 min

Country:

South Korea | USA

Language:

Korean | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

South Korea:18 | USA:R | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Now Films

Trivia:

In France, was released on DVD more than three years after its theatrical release.

A superb movie with superb acting

Never Forever is a rare gem in the film industry, an art-house film enjoyable to watch on a Friday night. Though I think English native speakers might have a bit of a problem with the male lead Ha Jung Woo's English speaking ability, otherwise it's perfect. Sophie Lee(Vera Farmiga in a superb performance)is a white girl from a plain American family who marries Andrew(David McInnis),a successful Korean American lawyer from a high class family. The couple have a perfect life except for one thing. Andrew's sperms aren't strong enough for Sophie to have a baby. This one factor leads Andrew to attempt suicide.

Next we see Ji Ha. Ji Ha is an illegal immigrant who is saving money so that he can bring his girlfriend to America, but because he's living illegally, there are many things he can't do like selling his sperms to a clinic for a small amount of money. After being rejected by the clinic, he comes home depressed to find a strange white woman sitting in front of his doorstep with a dangerous proposal. Every time he has sex with her she'll give him 300dollars and if she gets pregnant he gets thirty thousand dollars in cash.

That white woman is Sophie. Seeing as getting pregnant was the only choice to make her husband happy, she buys Ji-Ha's sperms after seeing him by chance at the clinic. What started as a strict business relationship starts turning into passionate love.

I will stop here about the plot because if I write more,it'll probably become a spoiler but the main reason I liked this movie wasn't the plot. It was the superb performances of Vera Farmiga and Ha Jung Woo(a relatively unknown in the international movie industry, having bit parts in acclaimed director Kim Ki Duk's film 'Time'and 'Breath'.)I've only seen Vera Farmiga in 'The Departed' and 'Running Scared',yet the depth she put into Sophie was something I rarely see an actor or actress perform. Not to mention full frontal nudity. Not many actresses like to take their clothes off even if it's necessary and if they do, they ask for tons of money but Vera willingly did it in a three million dollar low-budget film. Ha Jung Woo is, how can I say it, a phenomenon. I knew he was good looking after seeing him in 'The Fox Family'(not many actors look good when they're dressed like a total nitwit.)but didn't know the extent of his acting abilities. His English tongue is not perfect,sure,but how many actors can act so well speaking a language that they're not completely fluent in? I cried my eyes out during one scene where he whispers into Vera's ear "Saranghaeyo"(in English it means "I love you"), the only Korean line he speaks .

Overall, Never Forever is a fantastic film. Go check it out when it opens(if it opens)in a theater near you.(It's also worth knowing that the theme for the movie was composed by Michael Nyman, the man behind the music for The Piano,directed by Jane Campion.)