April Snow (First Press Limited Edition) (Japan Version) DVD Region 2

Both In Su and Seo Young are put through the emotional wringer over the weeks of waiting for their partners either to wake up, or pass away. At times both wish for either of these two ends for their silent partners. In a particularly awkward scene, at the request of one of their insurance adjusters, they attend the funeral of the local man who was killed in the accident. The mother, deeply mired in grief, as the accident was the result of drunk driving, at first thinks the couple are friends of her son. When they awkwardly explain their relationship to the deceased, the mother sends them away and the family members threaten violence. That particular form of guilt (how are In Su and Seo Young at fault here?) is convincingly examined though a distanced and unusual relationship, which starts with unanswerable, questions and ends with love.

There is a multitude of compelling reasons why In Su and Seo Young get together. They are both away from home in the static limbo of hospital corridors and the long waits between doctor visits. They are both grieving for their partners who secretly betrayed them in one of the worst possible ways. In other words these are very scarred souls. And there is an undeniable attraction between them that cannot be ignored. But the trump card here is that the emotional baggage of their situation hovers over every word, gesture and thought.

April Snow works as a film on every possible level. It defies the obvious trap of melodrama inherent in the situation. The acting and chemistry of the two leads is impeccable, as is the distanced and silent tone of the film. Director Hur Jin Ho and actors Bae Yong Joon and Son Ye Jin scripted the film as they were shooting it. This often ends in a messy muddled film (see Dancing at the Blue Iguana for a good example of this concept done really bad), but here, the film is flawless in its storytelling. Admittedly, a mainstream audience may have trouble with the very, very slow pace, but it is perfectly in line with the story, situation and isolated and uneasy tone of the film. I cannot think of a single wrong note in the film.

So, what about the comparisons to In the Mood For Love? Well, it is reminiscent of that film, obviously from the concept, but also because it goes about itself differently in every way. April Snow is contemporary and crisp where Wong Kar Wai’s film is nostalgic and ethereal. April Snow does offer answers and a conclusion, where In the Mood For Love is vague and not forthcoming. Does this make sense? It will when you see the film. And if you are a romantic at heart, you should. A snowstorm in the summer is a bitter-sweet moment captured in yet another solid film out of South Korea.

By Kurt - Twitchfilm.net

In response to the accident, concert lighting coordinator In Su (Bae Yong Joon) and housewife Seo Young (Son Yae Jin) rush to the hospital to wait by the bedside of their comatose loved ones. As they sort out their respective spouses' possessions, they slowly come to grips with the horrible truth. Discovering a condom here, a flirty text message there, and finally a sexually suggestive video, the two find their growing suspicions solidifying in shocking fashion. Immediately, both In Su and Seo Young are tossed onto a veritable rollercoaster ride of emotions, as they are overwhelmed by feelings of anger, betrayal, and unceasing sorrow, all of which they must endure in quiet solitude. But their solitary existences begin to intertwine when the two coincidentally rent rooms in the same motel to stay close to the hospital. Initially, their close proximity to one another feels awkward, but eventually, a mutual attraction develops between these two lonely souls. As one might expect, they end up drifting towards each other, but is what they find together more than just an affair? Is it love? And if so, what will they do when (if?) their spouses wake up?

On paper at least, April Snow seems to have all the makings of a commercial blockbuster, particularly due to the presence of superstar K-idol, Bae Yong Joon. In execution, however, it plays out more like a stylish art film than anything else. Perhaps that's part of the reason why the film underperformed in South Korea. Rather than go for the overblown tear-jerking histrionics that seems to typify Korean melodramas these days, April Snow is remarkably quiet, restrained, and elliptical. Although it's a simple story, the film is not so much about what happens, but how it happens ? with some of the memorable moments being the small, but significant interchanges between the two main characters. There's a welcome sense of hesitancy mixed with eagerness in the staging of the sex scenes, a quality that works well in enhancing the film's palpable sensuality. Although the film was for the most part panned by Korean critics, there seems to be more to April Snow than your average Korean melodrama. The film is subdued, perhaps too slow for some, but ultimately the chemistry between Bae Yong Joon and Son Yae Jin (not to mention the beautiful cinematography) makes for compelling viewing.

Although comparisons to other similar films are perhaps unfair, they are somewhat inevitable. The plot of April Snow brings to mind at least two films. The first is the 1999 Hollywood film Random Hearts, which features a strikingly similar premise: a fatal plane crash brings together two strangers (played by Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas), who go through their loved ones possessions only to discover that their spouses were having an affair. However, while that film felt tedious, muddled, and altogether unnecessary, April Snow is immediately compelling due in large part to its singularity of purpose. If Random Hearts represents the critical nadir of this makeshift "adultery mini-genre," then Wong Kar Wai's In The Mood For Love is most certainly the pinnacle. And like its predecessor, April Snow explores the idea of people succumbing to their passions, becoming essentially the very thing they initially despised. Without overstating things, the film makes room for the viewer (and the characters themselves) to question what is happening. Even if their affair evolves into love, does that make them any different than their cheating spouses? Or are they two sides of the same coin? While April Snow isn't quite on par with In The Mood For Love, it comes awfully close considering its deft, unobtrusive handling of the material. Although that might not seem like much of a compliment, anyone familiar with the glory of In The Mood For Love will realize that to even be mentioned in the same breath is high praise indeed. April Snow, like the improbable phenomenon showcased in its title, is a surprisingly noteworthy experience.

By Calvin McMillin