Pieta (2012)

A loan shark is forced to reconsider his violent lifestyle after the arrival of a mysterious woman claiming to be his long-lost mother.

Director:

Ki-duk Kim

Writer:

Ki-duk Kim

Stars:

Min-soo Jo, Jung-Jin Lee, Ki-Hong Woo

23 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Min-soo Jo	...	Mi-Son
Jung-Jin Lee	...	Gang-Do (as Jeong-jin Lee)
Ki-Hong Woo	...	Hoon-chul
Eunjin Kang	...	Myeong-ja (Hoon-Chul's wife)
Jae-ryong Cho	...	Tae-seung
Myeong-ja Lee	...	Mother of Suicidal Man
Jun-seok Heo	...	Suicidal Man
Kwon Yul	...	Machinist with the Guitar (as Se-in Kwon)
Mun-su Song	...	Borrower Who Climbs the Steps
Beom-jun Kim	...	Myeongdong Man
Jong-hak Son	...	Boss
Jin Yong-Ok	...	Shop Owner in Wheelchair
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jae-rok Kim	...	Monk
Won-jang Lee	...	Sang-gu

Storyline

A loan shark is forced to reconsider his violent lifestyle after the arrival of a mysterious woman claiming to be his long-lost mother.

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Plot Keywords:

ejaculation in hands | dysfunctional mother son relationship | handjob | incest | mother son incest | 

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Taglines:

Love. Honour. Violence. Fury. Hatred. Jealousy. Revenge. Death.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

6 September 2012 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

Aci

Filming Locations:

Seoul, South Korea

Box Office

Budget:

EUR103,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,222, 19 May 2013

Gross USA:

$22,080

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,623,330

Company Credits

Production Co:

Good Film, Finecut, Kim Ki-Duk Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ki-duk Kim's biggest box office hit in his home country South Korea, where it made 3.9 mill. dollars.

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Quotes

Gang-Do: [grabbing between her legs] I came out of here?
[she nods]
Gang-Do: Here for sure?
[she nods again]
Gang-Do: Really? Then can I go back in?

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Venice Film Festival 2012 (2012)

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Soundtracks

Happy Birthday to You
(uncredited)
By Patty S. Hill and Mildred J. Hill
Performed by Min-soo Jo

User Reviews

The director's darkest yet

As a massive fan of Korean director Kim Ki-duk - I've never seen a film of his I haven't loved - I was eager to see what delights his new film PIETA had in store for the viewer. In some ways it's similar to a lot of his previous filmography, like BAD GUY, in which the protagonist is also the antagonist, and also similar to other Korean films I've seen like BREATHLESS.

The main character is a ruthless loan shark who makes a living from crippling those who owe him money; he gets the money back from their insurance claims. The glacial Lee Jeong-jin gives an icy turn as a truly horrible creation, but inevitably he thaws a little once you get to know him, and once the plot kicks in. This is a revenge story, but one done in a way that's both subtle and convoluted; it's a film that rewards close attention, else you won't have a clue what's going on.

Jo Min-soo bags the film's most interesting role of the long-lost mother who turns up seeking reconciliation. It's a difficult, unsympathetic part to play, and there are one or two sexual situations which go way beyond the realms of bad taste into some of the most disgusting things I've ever seen. As ever, though PIETA isn't really an explicit film, despite the sheer quantity of violent incidents that happen during the running time, and as a story it gets more and more engrossing as it goes on. The end is particularly profound, and the lush cinematography on a tiny budget makes this a beautiful film to watch, despite the depravity.