Broker Film Review: Finding The Ideal Meaning Of A Family

Broker (CJ Entertainment)

JAKARTA - Broker is the latest film as well as the first Korean film made by Hirokazu Koreeda. Success with Shoplifters, he returned to present a film about family with many questions.

Co-written by Koreeda, Broker tells the story of the business run by Sang Hyun (Song Kang Ho) and Dong Soo (Kang Dong Won). They steal babies from baby boxes at church to sell to prospective parents.

One day, they intend to sell a baby left by a young mother named So Young (Lee Ji Eun / IU). But when So Young was about to take the baby, she found the baby was gone.

When So Young meets Sang Hyun and Dong Soo, she believes that they both committed a crime. Sang Hyun also invites So Young to follow their journey to find new parents for their child.

On the other hand, Sang Hyun and Dong Soo's business has been followed by detectives Soo Jin (Bae Doona) and Lee (Lee Joo Young) for a long time. They are determined to frame Sang Hyun and Dong Soo so that they can be charged with the article.

Their journey isn't always easy and neither do Sang Hyun, Dong Soo, and So Young. Will they find what they are looking for? The answer is through Brokers.

Broker is a beautiful and bittersweet film. Koreeda's directing style is also still radiated in this film, such as minimal scene displacement as well as the dialogue.

Not a few would equate Brokers with a story style like Shoplifters. Quoting The Hollywood Reporter, Koreeda admitted that the plots for these two films were made at the same time.

However, the audience can feel the emotions between the characters through their expressions. As a result, we don't need a lot of dialogue, but we understand the problems the characters are facing.

Koreeda again presents a portrait of normal characters and families with complex problems. Every character in the film Broker looks normal at first glance but they face their own struggles, regardless of age.

Their dialogue also generates various questions. Do those who abandon their children still be called parents? What about those who cannot have children?

Broker's journey in a slow plot managed to attract the audience to see their lives. But the best role went to Lee Ji Eun, known as IU.

Many doubted, in fact Lee Ji Eun was able to control the film ensemble. Expression and character development away from the image of IU who is known as a K-pop idol.

Hirokazu Koreeda presents Broker as a warm and wonderful family drama film. Film Broker can be watched on CGV, Cinepolis, and Flix cinema networks starting today, Wednesday, June 15.