Critics reviews

The tendency of [classics like The Virgin Spring, Rocco and His Brothers, The Silence of the Lambs and No Country for Old Men] to exploit and/or sentimentalize these subjects is scrupulously avoided by Lee and handled throughout with tact, delicacy, and a finely nuanced sense of development in its heroine's ethical and aesthetic consciousness. Consequently, Poetry offers a profound social critique by addressing the theme of rape and its role in Korean society quite directly,

Despite narrative intrigue and scandalous circumstances, it's entirely stripped of sensationalism. Some of the most memorable moments in the film are the simplest, such as Mija's solitary attempts to find inspiration in an adult education poetry-writing class.

True to the spirit of the title, writer-director Lee organises the sprawling mess of Mija's personal life with the control and grace of a master, each digression and seemingly arbitrary encounter all building upon his elderly protagonist's spiralling sense of distress.

As in the case of Jeon Do-yeon's character in SECRET SUNSHINE, Lee reveals different facets of Mija's personality through impulsive, often furtive action without ever betraying an audience's initial impression of her. Combined with the narrative unpredictability that has defined the director's best work, the result is a multi-faceted film that is inseparable—formally as well as structurally—from its central character

With his attachment to what is unfashionable – the very prospect of a film about a poetry class is enough to turn off many potential viewers! – Lee reaches for hope, for inspiration, and even for catharsis in his audience. But it is an emotional catharsis that is, for a change, richly earned by cinema.