What does your face reveal about you? Would you believe that someone could tell your past, present, and predict your future simply from the construction of your face? Would you want to meet the person who could ultimately reveal your destiny? The recently released film, The Face Reader (관상) addresses Korea’s history of face reading. This tradition was quickly adapted into Korean and Japanese culture when Chinese influence was beginning to spread in South East Asia. In the 1930′s the Japanese used an expert face-reader to recruit technicians, including pilots, mechanics, and other military officials. In Korea face reading techniques are still employed in job and match-making recruiting. Face reading experts believe that your bone structure can give way to how your life will play out. The Face Reader addresses the issue of face reading and it’s role in political and military affairs. How accurate is this ancient art? The character Nae-Kyung (Song Kang-Ho) is the most renown face-reader in all of the Josean Dynasty. After determining that he would provide a better life for his son Jin-Hyeong (Lee Jong-Suk) he and his brother in law Paeng-Hun (Cho Jung-Seok) join hands with beautiful Gisaeng Yeong-Hong (Kim Hye-Soo) and turn face-reading into a lucrative business. Rumors of Nae-Kyung’s talent quickly spread and he is eventually brought into the palace to identify conspirators against the king. He is soon caught in a dangerous web of murder, political corruption, and the violent coup for the throne. In this plot of dark ambition, no one is left unscathed. This traditional film of mystery and intrigue will keep you on the edge of your seat as you follow Nae-Kyung’s journey of betrayal and sacrifice, propelled by his earnest desire to provide for his son. Stunning traditional Korean Hankboks (Korean traditional dress) and elaborately constructed architecture serve as the background for the face-reader’s quest for redemption.
The story and characters are supported well by its talented cast which can grip our attention for more than 2 hours. Song Kang-ho, an engaging South Korean actor who has recently been lukewarm in several South Korean films, is back in his element lately with Bong Joon-ho’s terrific SF film “Snowpiercer”(2013), and he proves here again that he is still one of the most interesting South Korean actors. Even with his shabby appearance in the beginning, Song immediately wins our favor to become a likable ordinary hero we can identify with, and his good performance becomes a major asset of the movie as he effortlessly goes back and forth between humor and pathos along with the story. as good as song kang ho, or even better was lee jeong jae, who played the grand Prince Sooyang ,ruthless villain of the movie. He portrayed his evil darkness really well. and While this movie is not entirely free from its flaws including its misplaced/overused score,and sometimes feels dragging in middle of movie explaning historical background for movie little too much. “The Face Reader” is a smart enjoyable movie which successfully mixes comedy and drama to lead us to its tragic ending filled with the sense of bitter resignation. Sometimes, like Nae-kyeong, we have no choice but to be swept along with others as meek individuals even if we can clearly see beforehand what is going on around us – and, as you know, the history has proved that many times.
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