After an affair with a married man, actress Younghee decides to take some time out. She travels to the far-off, city of Hamburg. In a conversation with a friend she asks herself if her lover will follow her and whether he misses her as much as she misses him. During her long walks through wintry parks and along riverbanks, she attempts to make clear of this illicit relationship with the director.
Hong Sang-soo (The Day He Arrives, Grass) keep pumping out those dialogue heavy, intimate films that we're used to see from him. His films seem to be sort of hit or miss with me, but On the Beach really struck a great balance and didn't make me loose interest. As usual with Hong's films we see his partner Kim Min-hee (The Handmaiden) in the lead and she's great at making conversations flow in different directions. Some dinner scenes gets really uncomfortable, and when some characters don't know when to stop you almost want to avert your eyes to avoid the embarrassment, which of course is fantastic.
I've read reviews who've praised this film to the skies and others who were bored to tears, and as always it just comes down to taste. I personally thought is was more engaging than some of Hong's other films but then again I don't mind when nothing's really happening as long as the script and acting holds up.
Genre: Drama
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