Featured Audience Ratings

• Lanning :

  
  (<b>Dalkomhan insaeng</b> ) <p>We can't turn back time, can we. <p> I am quickly becoming a Korean film addict. I have a strong feeling that I am about to embark on a long neglected quest for a deeper understanding of my paternal heritage. <p> If I… More
  (<b>Dalkomhan insaeng</b> ) <p>We can't turn back time, can we. <p> I am quickly becoming a Korean film addict. I have a strong feeling that I am about to embark on a long neglected quest for a deeper understanding of my paternal heritage. <p> If I could give this movie more than five stars, there would be no hesitation on my part to do so. This film is one for the cinematic ages. There is evidenced here an historical linked legacy of tribute to films that have come before. <i>Yojimbo </i> stands as the foundation for this chain. Although there are surely other films which could be mentioned, for me a clear line of homage to <i>Yojimbo</i> runs from Leone's <i> Per un pugno di dollari (A Fistfull of Dollars) </i>, to, as my flixster buddy Sabina points out, </i> Melville's <i>Le Samourai</i>, to Scorcese's <i>Taxi Driver</i>, to this masterpiece by Kim Ji-woon. Each pays tribute to the ones before, yet each is its own unique masterpiece.<p> If you have not experienced this Korean actor, Lee Byung-hun (Sun-woo), you must do yourself the entertaining favor of seeing him in action. And when I say action, I mean full-bore head-cracking action. His martial arts style is fluid and sharply crisp. His acting is very good as well, especially in that he is able, through facial expression alone, to communicate great emotion. And those eyes! Although I must say that I've noticed a degree of ability for doing this in not a few of my father's family. Maybe it's a Korean thing : ) As Sabina points out, his close resemblance to Alain Delon in <i>Le Samourai</i> is uncanny. The acting is solid throughout, but Kim Roe-ha as the somewhat socially clueless Mun-suk is particularly fine. There is a stronger bond between Lee and Kim, and their combined acting talents shine in their final meeting, a scene straight out of <i>Taxi Driver</i>, where whatever that affection is that they do feel for each other comes across most poignantly. It is the only killing, I believe, that gives Lee pause, perhaps tugs at his heart and/or conscience, in his final march to the end. <p> And speaking of killing. <p> No doubt about it, this movie has been accurately billed as a Korean revenge film. It is indeed bloody, flixster friends, but it is not the kind of repulsive violence you might find in, say, <i>Natural Born Killers</i>. The violence here is purposefully and pretty darn artfully choreographed and filmed. I always appreciate a little humor with my gore, so I give huge points to the gun instruction scene. Ever experience road rage? Go home and watch this. There is a road rage vengeance scene that will make you feel so much better :)<p>A key, for me, in determining the difference between violence that has purpose and violence which is presented for the sake of violence is motivation. While it is true that Lee is a no nonsense ass-kicker from the start, he is not a natural born killer. Live burial scenes in literature, where the victim does somehow escape death, can symbolize a kind of rebirth. At the moment Lee emerges from his grave, he is indeed reborn. It is then that he becomes the stone-cold killer bent on revenge. <p>It would be unfair, however, to say that <i> A Bittersweet Life </i> is only a revenge movie. It is also a love story, and these two motifs are inextricably entwined. Of course, it is not a happy love story, since Lee's love is unrequited, but it is a moving love story nonetheless. <p> Sorry to do this, but the final four sequences of the film, Lee near death, the flashback to his watching the woman he loves play her cello, Lee's death, and the amazingly moving, seemingly non sequitur cut to a still living Lee, somewhere in the near past, shadow boxing with his reflection in a window, all help reinforce the bittersweet nature of his life. I am not fluent in Korean and cannot vouch for the English translation of the title. I, however, love the title because it emphasizes the fact that this is not a tragic end. A man who, finally, fights with himself, and even seems to enjoy that struggle against his own person, is a man for whom life cannot ever end in tragedy. The killing and the longing for love commingle in Lee's last conscious moments, and make "bittersweet " a very apt word to describe his end. <p> To quote one of my friend's favorite lines: I cry not because I had a bad dream, but because the dream was so good, I know it has no chance of coming true. <p> True love, as I've said before, can literally kill you.

• xGary X

  
  A mob enforcer is made an example of when he shows mercy and fails to execute the mistress of the boss he has served with unquestioning loyalty for the previous seven years. Bloody vengeance ensues. Yes, this plot line isn't exactly the most original material you are ever going… More
  A mob enforcer is made an example of when he shows mercy and fails to execute the mistress of the boss he has served with unquestioning loyalty for the previous seven years. Bloody vengeance ensues. Yes, this plot line isn't exactly the most original material you are ever going to see, but this film really is something special. Lee Byung-hun is an anti-hero following the classic examples of everything from Yojimbo through to Kill Bill; an intelligent, quiet and seemingly unflappable character who is the last person on Earth you'd want to piss off! It has the artistic visuals of Chan-wook Park, the gritty violence of Scorsese, the balletic, blood soaked action of old school John Woo films and a quirky credibility reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino. The result is everything I want from a crime drama or revenge story, and anyone who likes any of the above should take pains to track down a copy. Yet another bloody and bloody marvellous film from Korea.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"You can do a hundred things right, but it takes only one mistake to destroy everything."</i> A Bittersweet Life is a 2005 South Korean film directed and written by Kim Ji-woon and starring Lee Byung-hun. Ruthlessly violent, it illustrates the ethical codes… More
  <i>"You can do a hundred things right, but it takes only one mistake to destroy everything."</i> A Bittersweet Life is a 2005 South Korean film directed and written by Kim Ji-woon and starring Lee Byung-hun. Ruthlessly violent, it illustrates the ethical codes in the Korean mob and how they clash with personal morality. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> A Bittersweet Life is genre adept Kim Jee-woon's fourth feature film, following strong showings in black comedy, sports comedy and horror. In this instance, it's a crime/revenge film and another completely different rendering than his previous films, proving that Kim has a strong capacity for understanding the genre film, twisting it and providing solid entertainment out of it. The story is a very simple one without any notable twists and turns: a dedicated mob enforcer, the model for coolness in criminal, has a moment of sympathy and his boss of many years takes it personally. Brutally beaten and upon the verge of being killed, he seizes a moment and escapes, going on a vengeance rampage once free. An interesting thematic undercurrent to the story is a level of self-deception and desire in the characters. In being unable to be honest, these men seal their fates. Granted, it doesn't make the story any more complex, but it adds a lot to the characters and their motivations, with the self-discovery of answers to their own unanswerable questions being secondary (or perhaps primary) goals. It's a tragic story, but elevated by the remarkable characterizations of all the players, from the charismatic cool anti-hero to the various bosses and upper level henchmen, all of whom are memorable characters. Furthermore, the direction definitely oozes with the type of cool that drives fanboys into seizures: lots of stylish ultraviolence, dialogue laden with buckets of cool, etc. The shots, the lighting, the acting, the art/production design--everything contributes so immensely to a high level of cool. And that might be a weakness for this film, but it seems like that's what the film set out to do and so it doesn't really disappoint. As such, the running time of two hours barely registers as the piece moves from step to step with heavy outbreaks of violence. Kim makes several homages to other films in the crime/action/vengeance films in process so fans of these kind of movies might have even more fun. However, while the film executes so strongly its goals of being a remarkable genre piece, it doesn't really try for much else, so those not interested in a stylish crime/revenge film loaded with violence and tons of style will find nothing special here. Those who do go in looking for this in a film will find a lot to like. Strongly recommended for those who appreciate the genre.

• Lee ?

  
  Korean revenge thriller about a high ranking gang member who sets out on a quest for vengeance against his former gang after escaping his own death which was ordered by his boss over a trivial matter of mistrust. The film builds slowly and ends in an ultraviolent bloodbath. Stylishly… More
  Korean revenge thriller about a high ranking gang member who sets out on a quest for vengeance against his former gang after escaping his own death which was ordered by his boss over a trivial matter of mistrust. The film builds slowly and ends in an ultraviolent bloodbath. Stylishly shot and the action is brutal but brief. It's not a full-blown action movie though, there's more drama than action. Slick film overall, worth a watch if you enjoy revenge movies.

• Carlos M

  
  A tragic tale of revenge with very well choreographed fighting and violence, featuring this spectacular performance by Lee Byung-hun and a surprisingly beautiful, touching ending.

• Stephen M

  
  This begins with a mob boss leaving a deputy to keep tabs on his girlfriend and climaxes with said deputy scything his way through a crime syndicate in search of answers and revenge, à la <I>Point Blank</I> or <I>Get Carter</I>. If fresh ideas are… More
  This begins with a mob boss leaving a deputy to keep tabs on his girlfriend and climaxes with said deputy scything his way through a crime syndicate in search of answers and revenge, à la <I>Point Blank</I> or <I>Get Carter</I>. If fresh ideas are disappointingly thin on the ground here - and they are - the fight scenes are some of the most balletically beautiful I've ever seen. If only Ji-woon Kim had taken as much care to ensure that the audience invested in the film emotionally, this could have been a great movie instead of just a pretty good one. The masochistic extremes of pain and suffering endured by the seemingly unstoppable hero would make even Stallone or Bruce Willis roll their eyes; I was half expecting him to lose a limb and then beat somebody to death with it in the final scene!

• Stella D

  
  reminiscent of oldboy, beautifully shot and a badass and bloody entertainment. the ending is a nice tribute to john woo. byung-hun lee is cool as a korean alain delon. who says gangster genre is dead. TY S!!! :D

• Lady D

  
  A film for me that got bigger and better the more I watched. Lee Byung Hun is superb as the lead role and the Action in this film was very natural, from the Acting and fight scenes to the realistic shoot outs (something I?m not usually a fan of) and bloodshed, this is definitely a… More
  A film for me that got bigger and better the more I watched. Lee Byung Hun is superb as the lead role and the Action in this film was very natural, from the Acting and fight scenes to the realistic shoot outs (something I?m not usually a fan of) and bloodshed, this is definitely a film I shall be watching again. Question? Has there ever been a Hollywood remake of this film? Not that this can be topped, but it does seem the type of storyline that Hollywood would snap up.

• Arash X

  
  Don't expect something like Park's vengeance trilogy & you'll be surprised by how good this movie is, The main plot is simple & somehow cliche but it's handled in a very refreshing way that has made this engaging & impressive, Add to this the great… More
  Don't expect something like Park's vengeance trilogy & you'll be surprised by how good this movie is, The main plot is simple & somehow cliche but it's handled in a very refreshing way that has made this engaging & impressive, Add to this the great acting & directing & a beautiful music score and you have one of the best films you can get in this genre I like to add two things, First He didn't fall in love, He just felt something by seeing the girl, His heart & mind were starting to move like you hear in the first lines of the movie, If you really want the cheesy version wait for the Hollywood remake Secondly I don't buy that it was all in his head, The last scene could be something from the past or something symbolic but imo it's not a twist ending like some have interpretated

• Tsubaki S

  
  I can see why many people would dismiss a film like a Bittersweet Life so easilly in a first view. Claiming is nothing but a recopilation of cliches from everything to John Woo to Tarantino to Scarface and back. A Pure "style over substance" in the worst possibly way, etc… More
  I can see why many people would dismiss a film like a Bittersweet Life so easilly in a first view. Claiming is nothing but a recopilation of cliches from everything to John Woo to Tarantino to Scarface and back. A Pure "style over substance" in the worst possibly way, etc etc. After all, there are dozens of crime/gangster films that are made every year that follow that path in the laziest way possibly. Thankfully, A Bittersweet Life is the exact opposite of cheap knock off in the crime/gangster genre. The film that mostly resambles in terms of mood and character would be Jean Pierre Melville's "Le Samourai". Just like Alain Deloin's silent killer, Kim Sun-Woo is a hard faced-cold-as-ice tough guy that seems to be devoid of any emotion. He works as a hotel manager, but at the same time, as the right hand of an important mobster. His boss gives him a task, to watch over a young mistress he jealously treasures. If Sun Woo happens to catch her with another guy he must kill both in the act. Sun Woo starts following the girl, but something starts to happen. Little by little he begins to feel something, is not love, after all he has never experienced that. What he starts to experiment is a feeling of comfort, of inner peace. The girl lives a normal and simple life. She likes to go to discos, to decorate her house with colorfull stuff. She enjoys life in a way Sun Woo has never enjoyed his own, even while having plenty of luxuries. Sun Woo decides to hide from his boss that the girl was having an affair with another guy, and that he spared her life. After all, in his mind, he did the right thing, like his boss told him earlier, she was different from men like them. Neverless, this decision proofs to be fatal for Sun Woo, but for his boss as well. Another user here, Jundaman, say it well, of course ABL touches familiar film-territory, but is the "how" and not the "what" that makes the whole difference here. The way the movie truly dedicates time to develop the main character, how we see a transformation in him, sets ABL way apart from other entries in the genre. When the action occurs it actually has a meaning, it feels like a consequence of the acts of the characters and not just like mindless thrill fillers to distract the audience. ABL deserves every bit of praise it can get. This is the type of films that define genres and create tendencies, it might be too soon to see that, but the sooner you know, there will be other crime films trying to emulate the mood of this film.

• JY S

  
  I honestly don't wee what all the hype is about. Yes, this is a violent crime drama, but when all is said and done it feels just like any other REVENGE film.<p>Like many other films this one starts out fairly well. Carousel music is playing in the background when all of a… More
  I honestly don't wee what all the hype is about. Yes, this is a violent crime drama, but when all is said and done it feels just like any other REVENGE film.<p>Like many other films this one starts out fairly well. Carousel music is playing in the background when all of a sudden there is a quick spurt of action. Good martial arts action too. Unfortunately, after these first few minutes the pale story kicks in and the slow pace becomes boring. The first 45 minutes or so is basically Sun Woo following a young woman around. Yes, it does lead to the revenge factor for the second half of the movie, but the events of the first half make the second half feel excessive, unlike <i>Oldboy</i> or even <i>Soo</i>.</p><p>As far as the action is concerned, it isn't anything special. The martial arts sequence in the beginning is misleading because that is it. The rest of the violence comes in straightforward shootings and typical brawls. There is a good amount of blood here, but I have seen much more violent and bloody films.</p><p>The strongest aspect of this film has to be the cinematography. Director, Ji-woon Kim serves up some nice camera work. During the action scenes there are multiple shots as if the camera is resting just above the actor's shoulder. Excellent stuff.</p><p>The acting isn't anything spectacular. The lead, Byung-hun Lee is quite bland and so are most of the supporting cast. At least there isn't any noticeable overacting flaws.</p><p>If you like these types of films, then this one will probably be enjoyable. It is not better than <i>Oldboy</i>, but it is just a hair better than <i>Soo</i>.

• Craig S

  
  <u><b>Directed by:</u> Ji-woon Kim.</b> <u><b>Starring:</u> Byung-hun Lee, Jeong-min Hwang.</b> I still can't believe how long it has taken me to finally get into Korean cinema, it started with their horror films, now I have… More
  <u><b>Directed by:</u> Ji-woon Kim.</b> <u><b>Starring:</u> Byung-hun Lee, Jeong-min Hwang.</b> I still can't believe how long it has taken me to finally get into Korean cinema, it started with their horror films, now I have expanded because of so many other amazing films that easily tread on hollywood any day....and A Bittersweet Life is another one. The story follows Sun-Woo, a hotel manager and the right hand man of an underworld boss named Kang. Sun-Woo has climbed his way to the top for 7 years and he is Kang's most trusted man, when Kang gives Sun-Woo a simple assignment to follow his young girlfriend to see if she is cheating on Kang, for some unexplainable explanation on his part, he doesn't do it. Ultimately the film is a revenge flick and a love story blended into one, but it is a little one sided when it comes to the love story as it is never quite developed enough to have an emotional core when it is needed. But such a small flaw can't put this amazing film down. The plot is very simple and a majority of the time, predictable....so what grips us onto this simple tale? Ji-woon Kim, who became a favourite of mine after the masterpiece 'A Tale of Two Sisters' delivers here. With A Tale of Two Sisters being highly complex, this is the opposite, but it never needs to be twisted to catch our attention, Ji-woon Kim directs with a dazzling visual style reminiscent of early John Woo and Quentin Tarantino, he has a dark humour about his bloody violence and a great control over his action sequences. The gun fights are spectacular and not to mention the amazing choreographed fight sequences, its all so amazingly well done. Byung-hun Lee, who I have only ever known as a martial arts expert is outstanding in his leading role. In the slightly weaker points of the love story, he has such engaging eyes to help us believe how he is feeling and in his action scenes, he is so amazingly controlled and trained that I can't wait to see more of his films....and he can act too! Another classic from a leading country for films at the moment, the plot may be straight forward and simple, but our attention is gripped from the very first scene with beautiful cinematography, stunning set design, an amazing score, a hard hitting visual style and a strong lead.

• Adam M

  
  in his job, he has to take masculine bravado all the way & the movie makes us feel the horror of doing this even for survival; a Revenge Flick where the whole mission is done sloppy and uncentered

• Sarah G

  
  Sun-woo is a reliable man who has served his boss without complaint for seven years. His attraction for Boss Kang is that he has apparently never been in love, or even had a girlfriend, an un-distracted state of affairs that allows him to give his role full dedication. He does his… More
  Sun-woo is a reliable man who has served his boss without complaint for seven years. His attraction for Boss Kang is that he has apparently never been in love, or even had a girlfriend, an un-distracted state of affairs that allows him to give his role full dedication. He does his job, as evidenced by the opening scenes, very efficiently and reliably. Like his boss, an honourable man, who knows how "One mistake can undo the work of many years." In the light of this daunting recognition, the question the film ultimately poses is whether it is wise to restrict an emotional life around blind loyalty, or whether the heart and mind can ultimately make something else out of that which seems almost mechanical. Ultimately one cannot just 'erase memories' or the start of real human feeling just like overcoming an opponent, even though such concerns can be hidden behind fierce notions of honour. Bittersweet Life is probably one of the most simple, most streamlined modern films I?ve seen recently. It is lean, mean, and like its lead male, a damn ruthless fighting machine. The film has the style of early 90's John Woo and with the energy and themes of Quentin Tarantino's grind house 70's. Life plays with your emotions, making you care for the bad-guy hero even though he is a vicious killer, and causes one to release tension through laughter when the blood starts gushing like a dozen ruptured fire hoses. Wholesale death, blood by the gallons, broken bones and multiple beatings with humongous pipe-wrenches, two-by-fours, and lead pipes are on order, right after a heaping dish of innocent love and a guy trying for once to do the right thing. The plot: you can see everything coming a mile away, the movie plays it straight, and follows the exact path you know it will and the exact path you hope it will. There are no twist endings, no complicated triple crosses, no hidden motives for the characters. Everything on screen happens the way you see it, and everything thing ends exactly the way you picture it. And this is a good thing. The film is so on track that it doesn't need a twist or a swerve to make you pay attention. Despite this plot being simple, for some reason it didn?t bother me one bit. The fact that you seriously felt for the character of Mr-Kim made you follow what was going on with him, without any other storylines or over the top acting which you see in endless American films. The acting is superb. The actor who played Sun-Hee reminds me a lot of Christina Bale. Oozing coolness all over. The supporting cast also delivers extremely well and I don?t think any words will do this superb films any justice. As you can tell I loved it. It just was cinematic perfection for m on all levels. Acting, plot, cinematography, interior and exterior of the surroundings. One things that makes this films for me is his relationship with his Boss? girlfriends. Despite that fact he likes her, he defies his feelings makes the film seem all that more unique. Utter brilliance, which I will repeat again. The soundtrack is wonderful. It belnds in well with the main lead?s feelings and thoughts so well that I will properly repeat myself again. If it?s one film you should see from South Korea it?s A Bittersweet Life. Utter brilliance in my opinion. Go out and rent it if you haven?t seen it. <b>HIGHLY RECOMMENDED</b>

• Antony S

  
  Kim Jee-Woon's latest seems to have developed a strange reputation for itself. It's deemed in most advertisements as an action movie, and is frequently claimed to be Tarantino-esque or John Woo-esque. In actuality, though the imagery does seem to evoke their works, down to… More
  Kim Jee-Woon's latest seems to have developed a strange reputation for itself. It's deemed in most advertisements as an action movie, and is frequently claimed to be Tarantino-esque or John Woo-esque. In actuality, though the imagery does seem to evoke their works, down to the cool-as-fuck protagonist in a sharp suit armed with a flash handgun, it really ends there. If anything Jee-Woon is more mining noir territory, as our dour protagonist, a hit-man for a rough mafia boss, is assigned to look after the big man's girlfriend. When he falls for the cellist girl's simple, innocent charms, he swiftly finds himself in devilishly hot water. Jee-Woon's noir approach (as with A Tale Of Two Sisters) has both modern resonance and reverence for 40s storytelling, a visual tour-de-force that entirely befits the emotional chaos that surrounds our ant-hero. But perhaps even more key to the film's greatness than Jee-Woon is Byung-hun Lee's performance. Following on from similarly great work in Chan-Wook's JSA, he acts with sincerity, not playing a dark, moody noir stereotype but a believably nihilistic character borne from the kill-or-be-killed nature of his work. He has great screen prescence, and will hopefully be appearing more often (just not in lame Hollywood productions please!).

• Dean M

  
  Good, but it is a hardcore violence of this South Korean gangster flick.

• Walter M

  
  "A Bittersweet Life" starts with Sun-woo(Byung-hun Lee) cleaning up a mess of drunken guests with the able assistance of Min-gi(Ku Jin) at the hotel where he works as both enforcer and manager. That would not be necessary if Mun-suk(Roe-ha Kim) had been doing his job in the… More
  "A Bittersweet Life" starts with Sun-woo(Byung-hun Lee) cleaning up a mess of drunken guests with the able assistance of Min-gi(Ku Jin) at the hotel where he works as both enforcer and manager. That would not be necessary if Mun-suk(Roe-ha Kim) had been doing his job in the first place. All of which makes Baek(Jeong-min Hwang), the boss of the interlopers, not a happy man, as he deals out some punishment of his own. In the meantime, Sun-woo's boss, Kang(Kim Young-Chul), has a special assignment for him while he is in Shanghai for three days. Keep an eye on his young girlfriend, Hee-soo(Min-a Shin), a classical musician. And if she is cheating on him, kill her and her lover. Because without trust, then where are we? "A Bittersweet Life" is a stylish action movie with fine touches of humor(although the sequence with the arms dealers just goes on too long) and soul, like the kind of movies John Woo used to make. Admittedly, it's more violent but not excessively so. The question on the table here is whether a man can truly cnange. Or in this case, can music soothe the debonair beast? And I think that's the best explanation for Sun-woo's behavior, with a bit of obsession thrown in, not that he always had a soft spot. Notice how sparsely decorated his apartment is, by the way. However, the clothes always make the man, especially if you want to succeed in business.

• Greg A

  
  A killing machine for a crime boss broken down by the smile of a sweet girl? I love it.

• Lesley N

  
  Beautiful bloody lyrical revenge film,. From the first scene when Sun-Woo efficently removes three annoying thugs from his hotel, you know you're in good hands as mob friends and enemies turn on him for not dealing appropriately with the boss's unfaithful girlfriend. The… More
  Beautiful bloody lyrical revenge film,. From the first scene when Sun-Woo efficently removes three annoying thugs from his hotel, you know you're in good hands as mob friends and enemies turn on him for not dealing appropriately with the boss's unfaithful girlfriend. The crystal-clear plot is crisply filmed, the soundtrack is delicate and the hero ever-composed and immaculately dressed (until he gets blood down his shirt). Poetry in motion.

• Anthony V

  
  What could have been just another gangster/revenge film in the hands of Kim Ji-Woon becomes a lyrical masterpiece. Like "A Tale of Two Sisters", Ji-Woon's use of color and lighting should be taught in film school classrooms all over the world. Byung-hun Lee manages to… More
  What could have been just another gangster/revenge film in the hands of Kim Ji-Woon becomes a lyrical masterpiece. Like "A Tale of Two Sisters", Ji-Woon's use of color and lighting should be taught in film school classrooms all over the world. Byung-hun Lee manages to create a complex character you don't often see in these kind of films. Highly recommended.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings