Review: Mother (15)****

The established formula around films of this type points to a frustrating and drawn-out stand-off between ordinary folk and the authorities. Thus it is here, except that the director, who also made the brilliant Memories of Murder, pits the remorseless Mother (she is not given any other name) against a police force that is less corrupt than it is lazy.

Her son (Bin Won) is far from the sharpest tool in the box and is easily led and manipulated, particularly by his pal Jin-tae. But things look bad when a girl is found dead, bludgeoned with a blunt instrument, and a gold ball with her son's blood on it is located nearby.

Soon Mother is engaged on a detective hunt of her own. It takes her into a new realm of obsession – this, after all, is a woman who sleeps with the boy and treats him as if he is the only focus of her existence which, in fact, he is – and to new levels of mania.

But there is more than just intense mother love going on here. The story becomes increasingly dark and ventures into places most films (and filmmakers) would be happy to avoid. It underlines the adventurous nature of contemporary South Korean cinema and offers a challenge to its western rivals to make an attempt to copy or otherwise duplicate the style and substance of what is a jarring psychological drama.

Witty, tense and suspenseful, Mother offers a stand-out performance from Hye-ja Kim and is another firm indication that Joon-ho Bong is one of the brightest, best and brilliant talents on the international scene.