From the very beginning 'The quiet family' adopts a humorous air. It's unquestionably dark, given the thrust of the narrative, and only grows more so - very quickly - as the story progresses. There's an element of horror-comedy, and of screwball comedy, an air heightened by the uncharacteristic, playful music composed or collected for the soundtrack.
This is such great fun!
The chief cast is swell, all bringing strong, distinct personalities to their characters in this extended family. It's especially enjoyable seeing Song Kang-ho here, in one of his earliest film roles, but all involved are clearly just as capable. Everyone brings a certain measure of madcap energy to the picture that grows with the body count, and one begins to wonder just where it's going to end up.
Writer-director Kim Jee-woon focuses quite decidedly on the comedy in his feature, and in drawing out the farfetched performances from his cast to match the exaggerated characterizations. There's not a great deal of attention on artistry in the camerawork, but he still captures more than a few eye-catching shots all the same. The story Kim has concocted is very engaging, with a balance of twists and bombast that escalates into quite the climax.
Even with the devious turns the plot takes, 'The quiet family' is relatively straightforward, declining a broad or complex tale that branches out far beyond the basic premise. That simplicity further bolsters the light if morbid approach taken here, emphasizing uncomplicated entertainment over thrills or flair. It never tries to be acutely shocking, and handily avoids the sort of gross-out humor one could easily imagine being overused in a similar picture. It's ultimately just a solid, no-frills comedy, and that's a bit refreshing.
The violence in the film means this won't necessarily be for everyone, but 'The quiet family' is just so enjoyable generally that I'm hard-pressed not to recommend it for most viewers. This is a blast, well worth checking out!
This is such great fun!
The chief cast is swell, all bringing strong, distinct personalities to their characters in this extended family. It's especially enjoyable seeing Song Kang-ho here, in one of his earliest film roles, but all involved are clearly just as capable. Everyone brings a certain measure of madcap energy to the picture that grows with the body count, and one begins to wonder just where it's going to end up.
Writer-director Kim Jee-woon focuses quite decidedly on the comedy in his feature, and in drawing out the farfetched performances from his cast to match the exaggerated characterizations. There's not a great deal of attention on artistry in the camerawork, but he still captures more than a few eye-catching shots all the same. The story Kim has concocted is very engaging, with a balance of twists and bombast that escalates into quite the climax.
Even with the devious turns the plot takes, 'The quiet family' is relatively straightforward, declining a broad or complex tale that branches out far beyond the basic premise. That simplicity further bolsters the light if morbid approach taken here, emphasizing uncomplicated entertainment over thrills or flair. It never tries to be acutely shocking, and handily avoids the sort of gross-out humor one could easily imagine being overused in a similar picture. It's ultimately just a solid, no-frills comedy, and that's a bit refreshing.
The violence in the film means this won't necessarily be for everyone, but 'The quiet family' is just so enjoyable generally that I'm hard-pressed not to recommend it for most viewers. This is a blast, well worth checking out!