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[Guest Film Review] "Yourself and Yours"

Probably one the best films for someone to initiate his relationship with Hong Sang-soo's filmography (this is his 18th film) and definitely one of his funniest, "Yourself and Yours" presents a realistic visage into drunkenness, through a slightly surrealistic concept.

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Yeong-soo is a man facing psychological and emotional crisis. His mother is very ill, and she has stopped eating, while her condition is making him start thinking about his relationship with his girlfriend, Min-jeong. As his thoughts lead him towards considering marrying her, he is laughed at by one of his friends, who tells him about the rumors surrounding her. According to him, Min-jeong has been going around drinking with other men and getting drunk, despite her promise to him that she will contain her alcohol issues.

Yeong-soo confronts her about the rumors, but she denies them, stating that they are referring to somebody else. A fight ensues between them, which ends up with her leaving him. After that, things become slightly surreal, as a number of previous acquaintances, like the writer Jae-yeong and filmmaker Sang-won meet her in bars, but she claims not to know them, even stating that she is not Min-jeong, but her twin sister. Furthermore, she embarks on a series of relationships with men she drinks with, with no actual purpose. At the same time, Yeong-soo roams the streets looking for her, but when he finally finds her, her identity is already in  shambles.

Hong Sang-soo directs a film that walks in two parallel axes. The first one concerns Min-jeong's character, with her multiple manifestations, which is never, actually, clear if they do exist. What is clear, though, is that all her manifestations correspond to the fears Yeong-soo has for their relationship, particularly regarding her drinking and spending time with other men.

The second axis concerns drunkendness and its consequences, but Yeong-soo presents them as something harmless and even hilarious, like the one where two suitors realize they know each other. Not all  scenes involving drunkenness are funny, but the fable element is always present. Hong Sang-soo shows great insight in the extreme consumption of alcohol (he is known to have trouble with it), particularly regarding the aspect of not remembering things. 

The film is largely based on Lee Yoo-young as Min-jeong, and she presents one of the most charming drunkards ever to appear on screen, while she (or her other selves) frequently acts as a tease, luring men and then not remembering them. Kim Joo-hyuk is also quite good, as the frustrated man who actually wants to own his woman, in ever sense. 

Park Hong-yeol's framing does wonders for the film, as there are many images that actually look like postcards, with the one in the park with the yellow bike standing apart. Hahm Sung-won's editing portrays artfully the chaos of the script, while Dalpalan's music is in perfect harmony with its aesthetics. 


"Yourself and Yours" may lack the depth and artistry of "Right Now, Wrong Then", but is definitely more entertaining.

The film was part of the selection of Five Flavours Festival in Warsaw

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"Yourself and Yours" is directed by Hong Sang-soo and features Kim Joo-hyuk, Lee Yoo-young, Kim Eui-sung and Kwon Hae-hyo.

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