Review by Matthew Tsang.

Lee Sang Woo's graphic debut feature Tropical Manila explores the abusive relationships within a family living in Manila. The family consists of a Korean man, Kim Dusik, his filipino wife Medusa, and their son Philip. Kim constantly beats and abuses his wife while Philip watches helplessly unable to help his mother. Philip's hatred towards his father intensifies as it is revealed that Kim is looking forward to returning home to Korea, leaving his wife and son behind. Philip endures the destruction of his family as well as his own self-destruction. He succumbs to prostituting himself to a man for money. The film builds up to an inevitable violent confrontation between father and son that ends with the two being condemned to carry on together despite their hatred for each other.

The film does perfectly express a vision of the slums, and is realistic in its portrayal of misogyny within cultures. Lee Sang Woo makes great use of macabre images and symbols without going overboard, thus creating lasting images that you want to hold on to, no matter how much they make you cringe.

Tropical Manila
Lee Sang-Woo | South Korea | 2008 | 84min

Sat. Sept. 27 | 1:30pm | Pacific Cinematheque
Sun. Sept. 28 | 7:00pm | Pacific Cinematheque