Nobody's Daughter Haewon (2013) - Sang-Soo Hong

Haewon is an indecisive young woman who is half-heartedly pursuing a career as an actress.  Her mother is leaving the country for Canada, which leads Haeown into a state of loneliness.  In this sate, she reaches out to her professor, a man whom she's had a tumultuous romantic relationship with.  Sang-Soo Hong's Nobody's Daughter Haewon  is a film exploring the tenuous nature of relationships, capturing how the youthful spirit can be both indecisive yet beautiful.  Nobody's Daughter Haewon picks up right where Hong's last film left off, being much more whimsical and comedic than most of his earlier work.  Hong has such a great ability to capture the bittersweet nature of Haewon's life, with a narrative that never judges her, while consistently capturing her misguided steps.  The comedy never feels forced or out of place, perfectly weaving itself in the dramatic narrative in a way very similar to ones everyday life.  The film's narrative feel elliptical, following Haewon through various days of her life, where we see many of the same locations.  In a way, the film captures life in a very pure way- showing how both the repetition and new experiences intertwine on a daily basis.  Haewon's misguided viewpoint on love and relationships can be attributed to her lack of strong parental figures, though Hong does paint the mother in a loving way.   For those familiar with Sang-Soo Hong's work, Nobody's Daughter Haewon should certainly resonant, but Hong's style isn't exactly easy to get behind for the average movie-goer, making it hard for the film to reach much of a new audience.
7.5/10

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