Amidst the vast ocean of streaming "content" and "popcorn" movies, this gem of a primal "human drama" from Korea manages to stand out and stir my emotions.
I feel emotionally invested in all the characters, their reactions and dilemmas. "A Normal Family" may start slow and unveils its story at its own pace. And unlike "Anatomy Of A Fall", there's no burning question to hook and hold it viewers captive throughout. But it's one of the rare films that manages to make me put myself in every character's shoes, mind and brain - wondering what to do next and feeling the anguish.
Despite the fact that the original source material (The Dinner by Dutch novelist Herman Koch) revolves only around dinners, this film adaptation expands the story brilliantly and embed itself with powerful cultural nuances from beginning to end.
The direction is confident and the cast is all top-notch, portraying all the characters with palpable depth and convincing emotional development throughout the film.
There are two twists in the final moments of this cinematic gem of 2024. The first shook me. But I saw the second one coming. It didn't diminish the power of this film though. I'm so glad to have watched this film and so thankful to all involved in making it.
This film makes me renews my faith in cinema and its immense role in not just entertaining us but illuminating issues we should pay more attention to.
