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Mother

Madeo

South Korea

2009

128 Min
Color
2.35:1
Korean
  • Currently 4.0/5 Stars.
  • 1
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  • 5

   |   

DIR Bong Joon-ho

EXEC Katharine Kim, Miky Lee, Yang-kwon Moon

PROD Choi Jae-Won, Seo Woo-sik

SCR Bong Joon-ho, Eun-kyo Park, Wun-kyo Park

DP Hong Kyung-Pyo

CAST Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Ku, Jae-Moon Yoon, Mi-sun Jun, Young-Suck Lee

ED Sae-kyoung Moon

MUSIC Byeong-Woo Lee

Cannes (Un Certain Regard), Toronto (Special Presentation), London (Film on the Square), New York, AFI FEST, São Paulo, Transilvania (Supernova), Helsinki (Finnkino-kilpailu)

Synopsis

Widowed for a long time, a mother lives alone with her only son, Do-joon. He is 28 years old, a shy and quiet young man. In the aftermath of a terrible murder, the woman’s hopeless, helpless son becomes the prime suspect. There is no real evidence against him, but the police throw groundless suspicion at him simply because there is no way he can prove his innocence. Eager to close the case, the police are happy with their cursory investigation and arrest the boy. His defense attorney turns out to be incompetent and unreliable, making a conviction seem inevitable. Faced with no other choice, his mother gets involved, determined to prove her son’s innocence. —Cannes Film Festival

Director

Original

Bong Joon-ho

BONG Joon-ho studied Sociology at the Yonsei University and graduated from the Korean Film Academy. By 1995 he made three short films Memories in My Frame, White Man and Incoherence. He wrote and directed his first feature, Barking Dogs Never Bite, which won a Fipresci Award at the Hong Kong Film Festival in 2001. His second feature Memories of Murder won the Silver Shell award for the best director in San Sebastian Film Festival in 2003. In 2006 his third feature film, The Host, was selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. —london.korean-culture.org 

Wall

Displaying 4 of 66 wall posts.
Picture of pandakuma

pandakuma

9Apr13

one of my bestfriend's mother died when i was watching this. unforgettable.

Picture of Zesty Enterprise

Zesty Enterprise

9Feb13

Simultaneously tragic and funny.

me-too-modula likes this

Picture of Panji

Panji

26Jan13

The possibility behind the story can be guessed by only read its synopsis. Yet it gives brilliant nice touch at last.

Picture of willythesalesman

willythesalesman

28Oct12

Perhaps Bong Joon-Ho's attempt to recreate Lynch's Muholland Drive in his own way. It pretends to have a real story but it is riddled with clues that seems to have more significance than the apparent plot. It certainly makes you wonder long after the film. Like all of his other films it has a perfectly conditioned atmostphere that is always wonderful. Not really his best in my opinion but still very interesting.

  • Picture of Ward Tielens

    Ward Tielens

    30Jan13

    How the hell are you gonna compare a fairly straightforward plot like this to Mulholland Drive?

Related Films

Fans

Displaying 5 of 887 fans.

Articles

Our roundup of essays and articles on this film.
W184

"Green Zone," "Mother," "Children of Invention," More

By David Hudson on March 11, 2010

"Give director Paul Greengrass a completely fictional scenario into which he can weave multiple levels of tension and anxiety — for example

read article
W184

The Auteurs Daily: Toronto and NYFF. Mother

By David Hudson on October 5, 2009

"After giving free-floating dread a gargantuan, tentacled form in The Host, Bong Joon-ho returns to human-sized monsters in Mother." Fernando

read article
W184

Cannes 2009: An American Multiplex in Seoul ("Mother," Bong)

By Daniel Kasman on May 16, 2009

Bong Joon-ho, in South Korea, is making the movies Hollywood should be making—formally precise and inventive, slyly engaging but never overturning

read article
W184

Cannes 2009: A Host of Fools ("Mother," Bong)

By David Phelps on May 16, 2009

The weird thing about Bong Joon-ho’s Mother is that Bong keeps the thing back from burlesque exactly by going too far: a mother-loving idiot

read article

Bong Joon-Ho's MOTHER Hits DVD November 5th.

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
Okay fnas of Korean cinema in general and Bong Joon-Ho (The Host, Memories of Murder) in particular, it’s time to get happy.  Bong’s latest thriller – Mother – has just been announced to hit DVD in Korea
read on Twitchfilm.com

HKAFF 09: MOTHER Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
There are few things more satisfying than seeing a film you have eagerly awaited all year turn out to be just as impressive as you had hoped. This is certainly the case with MOTHER, a dark, suspenseful
read on Twitchfilm.com

Bong Joon-Ho Talks MOTHER

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
On the eve of Bong Joon-Ho’s much loved thriller Mother hitting US screens – where you can see it now – regular contributor to these pages Diva Velez had the chance to sit and chat with the director. 
read on Twitchfilm.com

Vancouver 09: MOTHER Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
[Our thanks to Teresa Nieman for the following review.]The opening scene of Bong Joon-ho’s Mother is playful, funny and weirdly inviting as pint-sized dynamo (or, if you prefer, revered veteran actress
read on Twitchfilm.com

Mother Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
The masterfully-composed frames of Joon-ho Bong’s latest always succeeds in drawing the eye – but just as often this unconventional thriller fails at drawing in the viewer’s emotions. Centering on a mother’s
read on Twitchfilm.com

TIFF 09: MOTHER Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
The crimson mantle of light and shadows before sunrise, one last bittersweet goodbye to a day almost gone; their hands in the air, sparkles of youth from many moons past all together embracing that withering
read on Twitchfilm.com

MOTHER UK Blu-ray Review

By Twitchfilm.com on May 17, 2011
Bong Joon-ho’s follow up to Host (2006) is an enthralling, tragic, mystery thriller which owes much to Hitchcock but ploughs its own distinct route to your emotions, as it explores just how powerful the
read on Twitchfilm.com

Want to Give Mommy a Korean Bluray for Xmas?

By Twitchfilm.com on April 30, 2011
I know, I know, horrible pun. But when it’s news this welcome, everything goes.The Korean Bluray market has been notoriously lagging, mostly because it’s still a niche market and most people don’t really
read on Twitchfilm.com

Bong Joon-ho's 'Mother' wins big at Asian Film Awards

By Twitchfilm.com on April 29, 2011
Bong Joon-ho’s thriller Mother was the big winner at the fourth Asian Film Awards on Monday evening in Hong Kong taking home six AFAs including Best Film, Best Actress and Best Screenwriter. The City of
read on Twitchfilm.com

An Exclusive Clip From Bong Joon-Ho's MOTHER!

By Twitchfilm.com on April 29, 2011
With Bong Joon-Ho’s much acclaimed thriller Mother hitting US theaters Friday – i.e. in four hours – we have just been passed an exclusive clip from the film. What we get her is a clip of the title character……
read on Twitchfilm.com

Win A Signed Poster From Bong Joon-Ho's MOTHER!

By Twitchfilm.com on April 29, 2011
Look at that lovely poster for Bong Joon-Ho’s Mother. Admire it. Maybe stroke your screen a little. No imagine how good it would look signed by the director himself and hanging on your wall.Yes, Mother
read on Twitchfilm.com

MOTHER UK Blu-ray Review

By Twitchfilm.net on September 19, 2010
Bong Joon-ho’s follow up to Host (2006) is an enthralling, tragic, mystery thriller which owes much to Hitchcock but ploughs its own distinct route to your emotions, as it explores just how powerful the
read on Twitchfilm.net

HKAFF 09: MOTHER Review

By Twitchfilm.net on September 15, 2010
There are few things more satisfying than seeing a film you have eagerly awaited all year turn out to be just as impressive as you had hoped. This is certainly the case with MOTHER, a dark, suspenseful
read on Twitchfilm.net

Vancouver 09: MOTHER Review

By Twitchfilm.net on September 15, 2010
[Our thanks to Teresa Nieman for the following review.]The opening scene of Bong Joon-ho’s Mother is playful, funny and weirdly inviting as pint-sized dynamo (or, if you prefer, revered veteran actress
read on Twitchfilm.net

TIFF 09: MOTHER Review

By Twitchfilm.net on September 15, 2010
The crimson mantle of light and shadows before sunrise, one last bittersweet goodbye to a day almost gone; their hands in the air, sparkles of youth from many moons past all together embracing that withering
read on Twitchfilm.net

Mother Review

By Twitchfilm.net on September 11, 2010
The masterfully-composed frames of Joon-ho Bong’s latest always succeeds in drawing the eye – but just as often this unconventional thriller fails at drawing in the viewer’s emotions. Centering on a mother’s
read on Twitchfilm.net

Bong Joon-Ho's MOTHER Hits DVD November 5th.

By Twitchfilm.net on August 20, 2010
Okay fnas of Korean cinema in general and Bong Joon-Ho (The Host, Memories of Murder) in particular, it’s time to get happy.  Bong’s latest thriller – Mother – has just been announced to hit DVD in Korea
read on Twitchfilm.net

Want to Give Mommy a Korean Bluray for Xmas?

By Twitchfilm.net on August 20, 2010
I know, I know, horrible pun. But when it’s news this welcome, everything goes.The Korean Bluray market has been notoriously lagging, mostly because it’s still a niche market and most people don’t really
read on Twitchfilm.net

Win A Signed Poster From Bong Joon-Ho's MOTHER!

By Twitchfilm.net on August 20, 2010
Look at that lovely poster for Bong Joon-Ho’s Mother. Admire it. Maybe stroke your screen a little. No imagine how good it would look signed by the director himself and hanging on your wall.Yes, Mother
read on Twitchfilm.net

An Exclusive Clip From Bong Joon-Ho's MOTHER!

By Twitchfilm.net on August 20, 2010
With Bong Joon-Ho’s much acclaimed thriller Mother hitting US theaters Friday – i.e. in four hours – we have just been passed an exclusive clip from the film. What we get her is a clip of the title character…
read on Twitchfilm.net

Bong Joon-Ho Talks MOTHER

By Twitchfilm.net on August 20, 2010
On the eve of Bong Joon-Ho’s much loved thriller Mother hitting US screens – where you can see it now – regular contributor to these pages Diva Velez had the chance to sit and chat with the director. 
read on Twitchfilm.net

Bong Joon-ho's 'Mother' wins big at Asian Film Awards

By Twitchfilm.net on August 20, 2010
Bong Joon-ho’s thriller Mother was the big winner at the fourth Asian Film Awards on Monday evening in Hong Kong taking home six AFAs including Best Film, Best Actress and Best Screenwriter. The City of
read on Twitchfilm.net

Lists

Displaying 5 of 379 lists.

Reviews

Displaying 4 of 4

Mother

By Amir Syarif Siregar on May 1, 2010

Tahun 2009 mungkin dapat dikatakan sebagai salah satu tahun yang paling membanggakan bagi industri film Korea Selatan. Bagaimana tidak, dua film mereka, yang sama-sama bergenre thriller, mendapat rekognisi…  read review

See, anyone is capable of murder … Madeo [Mother]

By jaredmo​barak on April 11, 2010

The poster for Joon-ho Bong’s newest work Madeo [Mother], along with the one word title, screams thriller where the mother at hand will do anything for her child. Bin Won’s Yoon Do-joon appears wide…  read review

Untitled

By Andhika Eka Buana on November 12, 2009

if i am an academy voter,i will try my best to make MOTHER become one of the nominee of 2010 oscar for best foreign film. that statement just tells just how brilliant this movie is. This is comes as…  read review

Untitled

By Teddy Cheong on September 5, 2009

I will preface this by stating that Mother takes nurturing to a whole new level. This goes beyond simple breastfeeding and cooing. In fact, one particular scene even bordered along taboo lines. However…  read review

Forum

Displaying 1 discussion topic.

Theresa Russell should star in the American remake

13 posts by 5 people about 1 year ago