Fridae

Kim Ki-Duk is the South Korean maverick behind wonderful films such as Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring and Address Unknown. His latest film Breath has been well-received in a handful of film festivals including Cannes, and is set to either satisfy or baffle audiences in Singapore when it opens here this week.

This surreal but affecting drama stars Taiwanese hunk Chang Chen as Jin, a man convicted for the murder of his wife and children. Sentenced for execution, Jin tries to kill himself first by piercing his neck with the sharpened end of a toothbrush.

His suicide attempts are reported in the news. They catch the attention of a simple housewife (Zia) who, angered by her husband's extra-marital affair, decides to get even by starting an affair with Jin. She visits him in prison and gradually develops a full-fledged relationship with him.

Meanwhile, Jin's gay prisonmate (Kang In-Hyung) becomes jealous of the couple's relationship because he too has feelings for Jin. He tries to sabotage the relationship in various ways...

Written and directed by Kim Ki-Duk, Breath is a simple but satisfying film. Limiting his cast and locations to a bare minimum, he manages to generate surreal yet credible drama out of his small cast of characters. His biggest coup, however, has to be the casting of Chang Chen in the pivotal role of Jin. Although Chang doesn't have a single word of dialogue, he can hold the screen completely with his smoldering gaze and hyper-masculine presence.

Breath also marks the first time Kim Ki-Duk has employed a gay character in his films. A must-see for arthouse buffs.