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"Ha Ha Ha"

"Ha Ha Ha"

Hong Sang-soodistinct and quite repetitive style found its apogee in this film, although this time, he implemented a lighter tone, that was probably the main reason it received the Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, a huge accomplishment considering the status of the director up to that point.

The film revolves around two men, filmmaker Jo Moon-kyeong and Bang Joong-sik, who meet up for drinks and share the experiences they had when they visited the picturesque town of Tongyeong. As we watch their stories through flashbacks, it is revealed that, without knowing it, the two of them frequented the same places and interacted with the same people. In the procedure, the story becomes of three men, since Bang Joong-sik also tells the story of one his friends, Kang Jeong-ho, a poet. Furthermore, it is soon revealed that the latter was dating Wang Seong-ok, a cultural curator who Moon-kyeong was also pursuing. On the other hand, Bang Joong-sik's story focuses on his extramarital relationship with Ahn Yeon-joo, a flight attendant. Lastly, all of them seem to frequent a restaurant owned by Moon-kyeong's mother, where No Jeong-hwa, a woman who also becomes part of a love triangle, works.

Hong Sang-soodirects and pens a film that focuses on human relations, both romantic and in terms of family, while he manages to squeeze some comments about poetry. What sets his film apart from the plethora of similar ones is that his characters are eccentric, very frequently drunk, not sure at all of what they want from their lives, although willing to go to extremes to achieve it, and liars. In that fashion, Bang Joong-sik is in love with Moon-kyeong, but does not want to leave his wife and children. Kang Jeong-ho is torn between two women, and Wang Seong-ok between two men. Furthermore, getting drunk seems to be the only action that makes them decide, in a rather humorous concept, which appears repeatedly in the film.

"Ha Ha Ha"

The only one of the three men who seems sure of what he wants, romantically at least, is Jo Moon-kyeong, who is presented, though, as a simpleton. Moon-kyeong's mother is probably the most eccentric, being somewhat sultry (for her age and according to her son that is) and has a desperate need to function as a matriarch, asking from many of the main characters to call her mom.

All of the above are presented throughHong Sang-soo's distinct sense of humor that permeates the film in subtle fashion. This subtlety, however, becomes completely void in four hilarious episodes, one of which involves the legendary admiral Yi, one a beggar at the pier, the other a break up, and the last a conflict between mother and son.

"Ha Ha Ha"

The director and his cinematographer use some very interesting techniques in the movie. The dialogue between Jo Moon-kyeong and Bang Joong-sik, which functions as the backbone of the story, is presented through black-and-white, still photographs, abruptly edited by Hahm Sung-won, over dialogue. The second one is the abrupt zoom-ins on the characters during the scenes, a tactic that occasionally occurs twice in one sequence, in order to focus on specific characters or events on each scene. Furthermore, the framing is exquisite, as is usual the case inHong Sang-soo's films, additionally highlighting the beauties of the seaside town.�

"Ha Ha Ha"

All of the actors play their roles in impressive fashion.Kim Sang-kyungplays the hopelessly in love simpleton that Jo Moon-kyeong is to perfection.Yoo Joon-sanghighlights Bang Joon-sik's torn nature.Kim Kang-wooplays the role of the damned poet Kang Jeong-ho, in a highly eristic character who fights with almost everyone in the film.Moon So-riis great as the eccentric Wang Seong-ok, who fights her superficiality, which does not let her leave Kang Jeong-ho, despite his general attitude and some particular actions, just because he is very handsome.Youn Yuh-jungmakes an impeccably feisty older woman as Moon-kyeong's mother.

"Ha Ha Ha" is a great sample of S. Korean indie cinema, and one of the movies that stand out of the largely homogenous filmography ofHong Sang-soo.�

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"Ha Ha Ha" is directed byHong Sang-sooand featuresKim Sang-kyung,Yoo Joon-sang,Moon So-riandYe Ji-won.

Available on Amazon Video

"Ha Ha Ha"

Amazon Video

Source from :Hancinema