End Of Winter review [LKFF 2015]: “Funny and sharp.”

End Of Winter review: Observant and quick witted, there is a lot to enjoy here.

Family get togethers in films never usually start off peachy, and if they do you can guarantee something’s coming along to spoil the fun. Afterall, conflict is the driving force of fictional narrative. But what would happen if you mixed such potentially melodramatic conflicts and paired it with a realistic family of the more insular variety. How exactly would a film where a family who lack the best communication skills deal with their issues?

In End Of Winter we start off at the retirement assembly of the Kim family patriarch (Moon Chang Gil). Upon attending a celebratory dinner with his wife (Lee Yeong Ran), his eldest son Dong Wook (Kim Min Hyeok) and his wife Hye Jong (Lee Sang Hee), and his youngest son Su Hyeon (Hur Jae Won), the father announces from seemingly out of the blue that he wants a divorce. The family then find themselves stuck together as a huge snowstorm prevents anyone from leaving town, forcing them to confront their issues with one another…or at least that is what you would think would happen.

End Of Winter although funny and sharp has a barrier inherent in its plot that prevents it from being truly stand out. Most of the comedy derives from the absolute lack of communication between the family members. It’s great at first, but once the film closes we really are in the dark as to certain actions and events. The main plot point of the divorce is never truly addressed, as this is a family that fails to discuss their issues. We can derive reasons, such as the mother’s attitude, controlling nature, and selfishness, but the father doesn’t tell and most of the characters don’t ask. It may be frustrating at points, but we are also able to feel genuine heart when the family does band together, such as when they must escort each other home after a night of drinking. It’s a double-edged sword that will work for some and not for others.

The essence of finality runs its river through the entire film. From the seasonal title, to the father’s retirement, to his announcement of a divorce, there’s a sense of everything coming to an end. Such a theme is littered in subtle nuances throughout the actors’ performances, as they show clear signs of being uncomfortable with where their family life is headed. Their awkwardness is always apparent, with the opening scene showing a less than comfortable photo opportunity. We have to question why the family seem so obverse to change when such decisions would barely change things at all.

Most interesting of all is what is going on in the background. Kim Dae Hwan is just as interested in building backdrops as he is character driven moments. The snow covered landscapes offer the perfect visual metaphor for the family. They’re trapped in their apartment, just like they are trapped in their relationships. The thing with snow is, is that it can both be fun, but also cold and dangerous. This is best executed when the mother, finally after answers, begins the conversation with her husband by playfully throwing a snowball. His failure to comply soon leads to snow now being used as a weapon as she pelts him with more and more snowballs. It’s both funny and frustrating. Meanwhile the area the family find themselves in is also prone to military drills, with sudden explosions in the background unsettling the locals.

Avoidance and discontent are the main courses in this family drama, which also leaves us disconnected. Such apathy can be very funny, and is here, but with very little pay-off it can be hard to justify the journey we’ve just undertaken. There is a heart present, but you’ll have to be willing to shovel piles and piles of snow in order to get to it, and even then another night of snow soon covers all progress. Observant and quick witted, there is a lot to enjoy here, but you’ll have to be prepared for a disappointing bitter aftertaste.

End Of Winter review by Luke Ryan Baldock, November, 2015.

End Of Winter screened at the London Korean Film Festival 2015 as part of their Busan International Film Festival strand.