Mother

When a mentally-challenged young man is arrested for the murder of a local school girl, his mother (Hye-ja Kim) starts a one-woman investigation to prove him innocent and bring the real killer to justice. At least that is the framework on which Korean director Joon-ho Bong hangs his latest movie, Mother, a stylish thriller that has more to say about the relationships between the characters than anything they actually do in the movie. As the mother who is willing to do anything to save her son, Hye-ja Kim gives an absolutely mesmerizing performance. The grief she shows when her son is arrested – and fooled into signing a confession – is palpable. So is the determination she shows as she travels around the neighborhood looking for the facts about what happened the night the girl was killed. Hye-ja Kim‘s performance, however, goes far beyond just being able to look convincingly sad and determined. Her face and body language reflect every twist the story takes, giving the audience a window into the soul of the woman as she unravels the mystery.