Directed by: Lee Hwan-kyung (이환경) Starring: Jung Woo (정우), Oh Dal-su (오달수), Kim Hee-won (김희원) Release Date: November 25th, 2020
Good Neighbor takes place in mid 80’s Korea, a tumultuous time that saw power hungry and corrupt officials spark massive nationwide protests lead primarily by student organizers who risked their lives for a freer and fairer democracy. And with many great Korean films of the last decade having covered these times rather exceptionally, A Taxi Driver (2017), The Attorney (2013), 1987: When the Day Comes (2017), it may have been a blessing in disguise that Good Neighbor got postponed until now (although COVID-19 will make it very difficult to see high attendance numbers) because of how similar it looks and feels to the aforementioned films. But Good Neighbor has its own set of charms to help it stand out from the pack with its signature Korean melodrama and powerful leading performances from Jung Woo and Oh Dal-su that boasts a relevant tale of friendship, loyalty, and personal sacrifice for the greater good.
After having spent several years abroad in a kind of political exile, Lee Eui-shik (Oh Dal-su) happily returns to his home country of Korea. But immediately upon arrival, he is whisked away by a group of men in dark suits who take him to a securely guarded house where he is to live in isolation with his family. Eui-shik and his associates are considered a dangerous political threat to the current authoritarian regime looking to secure another term, and will not be permitted to leave or speak publicly under and circumstances.
Meanwhile, the formerly unemployed yet ambitious family man Yoo Dae-gwon (Jung Woo) begins to make a name for himself within the authoritarian regime’s inner circle and secret spy organization tasked with getting dirt on left wing activists and organizers. His big promotion sends him to lead a small group of expert wiretappers disguised as neighbors to live next-door to the family home where Lee Eui-shik is being held to decode any secret messages that may be going in or out of the home. But as the hidden operation ensues, a dramatic relationship filled with laughter, tears, and secrets between the neighbors begins that impact the future of the Lee family forever.
Good Neighbor was crafted to provide a well-rounded, mostly laid back cinematic experience that brings a fair amount of early laughs before a more emotional and inspiring third act. The premise of neighbor vs. neighbor is a fairly simple setup, with the historical context of the times making for the majority of the dramatic substance. Enjoyable comedy in the form of moderately tense cat and mouse antics between the three spies as they avoid detection from their unsuspecting neighbors make for some fun moments. Supporting actor Kim Byung-chul (Pegasus Market) as one of the wiretappers is responsible for much of the comic relief with his priceless facial expressions as they come within a hair’s length of being caught at times.
Lead actor Jung Woo (Reply 1988) plays the gruff family man from Busan, Dae-kwon, who begins his work in secret surveillance with the sole prosperity of his family at the forefront of his mind and actions. His new assignment leads him to wrestle with his own conscious after finding himself on the wrong side of morality in the line of duty as he gets to know the family of his new target, a supposed “enemy of the state.” The evolution of his character beginning as an abrasive father and diligent “no-questions-asked” worker to a more understanding and compassionate martyr for the greater good of his country (and ultimately his family too) was masterfully portrayed but also quite predictable.
Good Neighbor (2020) comes some seven years after director Lee Hwan-kyung’s much loved Miracle in Cell No.7 (2013) and marks the return of actor Oh Dal-su (The Attorney, Detective K). Oh had been a fan favorite until controversy surrounding accusations of sexual harassment in 2018 saw the actor not only dropped from several film and television projects, but several films in production or near completion were shelved indefinitely. But with all the damage COVID-19 has wreaked on the movie industry and theater attendance, 2020 has become the year to unshelve one of these projects, Good Neighbor, and test the waters for a potential return of the actor. The response from what I’ve seen has been 50/50, half being excited for the director’s new work and actor Jung Woo in a leading role, but others seem pretty upset that Oh Dal-su would be headlining as an important figure in Korean history.
Either way, Oh Dal-su (Slow Video, The Attorney) brings his A-game to the project as if he’s never missed a beat. Perhaps most of Good Neighbor had been completed before the actor’s unofficial blacklisting but I for one am very pleased to see this actor back on the big screen. Playing a family man of his own as the left-wing political rival in the film, Lee Eui-shik, his character is also forced to make huge sacrifices in the form of his family and friends for the greater good of the country. Like co-leading actor Jung Woo, Oh Dal-su is right up there delivering some of the film’s most dramatic and moving moments. But as powerful as director Lee Hwan-kyung has crafted much of the film’s greatest emotional payoffs, one can’t help but find it all a bit too contrived at times.
Overall, while Good Neighbor looks and feels familiar, it’s enjoyable in its own way thanks to some great music, strong performances, and a timely message. I personally immediately downloaded the featured song “Bingle Bingle” by 80’s icon Nami when I got home. The pro-democratic themes along with a sense of national unity that begins at the neighborly level also feel very relevant in today’s ever growing politically charged environments where extreme levels of tribalism continue to push us farther and farther apart.
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