Rough Cut

Directed by: Hun Jang
Cast: Su-hyeon Hong, Ji-Hwan Kang, Chang-Seok Ko, Ji-seob So
Korea, 113 min
Toronto Theatrical Premiere

Rough Cut is much more than the action film the trailer makes it out to be. The film is full of comedy, drama, and a journey of learning and development of two unlikely partners. Though directed by Hun Jang, the film is a Kim Ki-Duk Films release. This name should be familiar to fans of arthouse Korean film as Kim Ki-Duk directed such films as Samaritan Girl, 3-iron, Time, and The Isle. Though I'm not sure what kind of influence he had on the picture itself (information on the TAD website lists him as a writer but imdb.com doesn't), but having him involved has allowed for this gem of a film to be seen by a much larger audience than it might have otherwise enjoyed.

When an actor-playing-gangster meets a gangster-playing-actor the setting is set for a fun filled fighting film, where the dialogue and repartee of the main characters is just as good or better than the flurry of on-screen action. Arrogant actor Jang Soo-ta has alienated his peers to the point where nobody will work with him leaving his current film project about gangsters in limbo. After a run in with a real life gangster named Lee Kang-pae, Soo-ta decides it would be a good idea to ask Kang-pae to co-star in his film. After all, "acting is just faking", according to Lee, and getting the film completed is priority number one. But is it safe for Jang to align himself with a real life gangster? Or will Lee find out that acting is more than just faking?

While Rough Cut leaves a lot of loose ends and subplots hanging unfinished or hardly touched upon you quickly forget about them (except for when they resurface) due to the superb acting of Ji-Hwan Kang (Soota) and Ji-seob So (Kang-pae). With much of the film revolving around the interaction between these two, I'm not sure the film would have worked had either of them not been on their game. I know it's a long shot but I'd go so far as to say that both actors are deserving of an Academy Award nomination.

One of the most appealing aspects of Rough Cut is its ability to be humourous. It is not something you'd normally find in any Kim Ki-Duk film. The comedic aspects of the film are never over the top and always poignant. Most of the laughs come from Chang-Seok Ko who plays Director Bong. His determination to finish the film and the method in which he directs his actors often brought a smile to my face.

Though Rough Cut takes awhile to get to where it is going, most of the journey is well worth watching. I look forward to seeing many more films starring either Kang or So. I wonder if their acting here is evidence of their talent or if the subject matter simply catered to their abilities. I hope it's the former. But while I wait to see their next outing I will keep watching the films Kim Ki-Duk is involved with and recommend you do the same.