Dawning is a Korean-American psychological drama that was initially conceived as a short film but ultimately became a full length feature. Set in the sweltering heat of a Californian farm, this film explores how a successful trauma therapist returns to the place where she has grown up and confronts the demons of her past.
This movie convinces on several levels. The script comes around with a few twists and turns that will keep viewers on the edges of their seats until the very end. The inspiration from genre masterpieces such as A Tale of Two Sisters is obvious throughout the film. The acting performances are excellent as well and the movie spreads a strong feminist message on the pulse of time. The subject of a clash of cultures between big city life and isolated agricultural settings, trauma therapy and farm life as well as contemporary American culture and traditional Korean viewpoints offer much food for thought and discussion.
There are two reasons why this film hasn't received a perfect score. First and foremost, it takes a little bit too much inspiration from several influential psychological dramas, horror films and thrillers. This means that dedicated cineasts and experienced genre experts won't be as surprised by this film's outcome as casual or occasional viewers. Lastly, it's obvious that this movie was supposed to be a short film at first and relatively spontaneously became a full length feature as time went by. This film's middle section for instance is a little bit dragging and repetitive if compared to the intriguing exposition and remarkable resolution.
At the end of the day, this independent movie starring numerous talented young actresses and actors, director, script writer and even an astonishing artist in the soundtrack department deserves much attention, recognition and respect. This movie impresses with an excellent script, wonderful inspirations, great acting and numerous fascinating messages and themes. Dawning deserves to be revisited on a few occasions to fully digest the different ideas and perspectives developed throughout this entertaining movie. I would recommend this movie to family members, friends and complete strangers without any significant hesitation.
