Actresses
I have a confession to make: I watched “Actresses” only one day after I saw “Untold Scandal” and have been procrastinating to write about it. Maybe I am too harsh on myself, because it was pretty much a full-blown writer’s block. Sometimes I feel like my review cannot do justice to the film, but the longer I wait to write about it, the worse the problem gets. Now I have to rely upon my terrible memory when writing about the movie. But hey, there is a silver lining to everything bad in the world. In the case of my procrastination, I now know what it is that truly made “Actresses” memorable.
Actually the whole mockumentary style confused me here. With “District 9” and “My Winnipeg” I learned that I really like films where fiction and documentary intermingle, and “Actresses” is no exception. I loved the film, it’s so wonderfully real and frank at times. Sure, there were moments where it was obvious that this was all staged (the music playing dude, their rather sudden reconciliation, those awfully Korean looking fake tears and especially the moment where Choi Ji-woo catches Kim Ok-bin in the restroom – she’s not good at doing a shocked face), but most of it seemed so awfully real. They were actually talking about what they wanted to say, and there is a certain honesty towards themselves. After all, none of these women come off as particularly wonderful or likable, except for Kim Min-hee maybe, who appears somewhat boring behind a rebellious-looking facade.
If you have seen “The Women”, you probably know why I am comparing this to it. “Actresses” is less adamant about only having women on stage, but it pretty much looks like everybody in the film is either a woman or gay. This is a purely female film. However, “The Women” probably fails to pass the Bechdel test because the women in the film have nothing on their minds besides men. “Actresses” is the exact opposite; these women are mostly concerned about themselves, their beauty, their career and men are only one of many troubles in the equation. I’d say, for these women relationships are third in the priority list, after career and beauty.
It is rare that a film ever concerns itself with women who are not mostly preoccupied with men, and while I don’t have nearly as much concern for my own appearance, or maybe even my career, it is beautiful to see that it is for others. I was deeply touched when one of them talked about how their work is an obsession, and the last scene of female solidarity really got to me despite all those fake tears. Coming back to the last paragraph – this mishmash of reality and fiction hits some sort of this uncanny valley for me, and that’s what I find so confusing; my head says one thing, but my heart wants to cry with them.
I have to admit that I only knew Yoon Yeo-jeong (from “The Housemaid”) and Kim Ok-bin (from “Thirst” and now also from “Dasepo Naughty Girls”). Overall, I never got the impression that any of them was a very good actress; I feel like even Kim Ok-bin is basically just playing herself in all her films. But playing themselves is something they do really well, and I applaud them for showing the ugly side of themselves.
Just like Pixelmatsch has said before, this is a film you would enjoy best if you are knowledgeable about the culture there. It is very crucial that these women are of very different ages, and the hierarchy of age is very strong. However, the film also says a few almost universal things about being a woman and I think that makes it worthwhile to see for everyone.
Now, time for the hail of bullets:
- I am very amused that I knew almost every actress they mention in the film – Lee Young-ae, Jeon Do-yeon etc. These are all actresses who are more famous than those you see in the film, and it’s just so much fun to hear them talk about their more successful peers. I guess when you are an A-celebrity you just deserve all that gossip.
- I am also amused by how male actors are almost never mentioned, except this one time Kim Ok-bin uses Song Kang-ho to brag.
- Even though I was touched by their dedication to their careers, they never mention acting skills in their conversation; they are like management students – it’s all about success, never about mastering their job.
- Is it just me or are the dresses they are wearing in the film actually awful?
- I said that Kim Min-hee is kind of boring (mostly due to her lack of anything to say throughout the film), but boy she drives the motorbike like a boss. I wish I was the kind of person who drives a motorbike to work.
- After having enjoyed both “Dasepo Naughty Girls” and “Actresses” so thoroughly, I added E J-yong to my directors list. I think I haven’t added a new director in years.