[HanCinema's Film Review] "Oseam" + Giveaway

It's a popular cliche to assume that children are pure and innocent. It can be a very annoying cliche for anyone that has had any actual experience with children. They are loud, noisy, and make giant messes. Gil-son (voiced by Kim Seo-young) is the five year old boy who makes up the center of "Oseam", and he embodies all of these characteristics. Loving though he may be toward his blind, older sister, the little guy's a handful. He often seems to be a lot more trouble than he's worth.

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And yet, he's still pure and innocent. It's not a matter of his being a quasi divine figure as it is he's too young to process anything but the most simple desires. A memorable late scene shows Gil-son trying to engage in deception for the sake of proving a point. And, in typical chidlike style, the boy executes the task with almost complete incompetence. That's the idea of innocence "Oseam" is interested in, and it pulls off this idea reasonably well.

As far as motivation, well, Gil-son wants a mother. As little as Gil-son understands, he does know that he wants a mother's unconditional love. In the only scene of the movie that can reasonably said to have conflict, Gil-son is clearly far more perturbed by the realization that he has no parents than any more directed attack. When he is angry, Gil-son acts angry. When he is sad, Gil-son acts sad. And so on and so forth.

It's fortunate that "Oseam" is such a short film, because these ideas can only be repeated so many times before it all starts sounding redundant. The movie feels like it lasts forever- but perhaps that's only because it feels clearly telegraphed to reach a tragic end. The more we learn about the background of Gil-son and his sister the more difficult it is to entertain any kind of hope that a happy ending is going to come about. Lucky for Gil-son that, in his childish naivete, he doesn't understand what futility is. Just fear, in the appropriate moments.

Understand that even though the movie is about Gil-son, it's clearly intended to be taken from a more adult point of view. We're inspired by Gil-son's example to understand a simpler kind of truth. It's not a particularly deep message- either you accept the beauty of the moment in "Oseam", and the greater spiritual implications, or you don't. The simplicity of the message is a great part of the appeal, and probably explains why the film is animated. While aimed at adults, there's an ease and gentleness that children can understand just as fully.

It's great animation, built in the same storybook style and working off of the same calm beats as the actual narrative. This is rural Korea, with its temples and simple country life, even as the clothing betrays the fact that these children live in the modern day. This works to further emphasize the timeless nature of the story of "Oseam". It's a brutal kind of beauty, and comes with a sadness most viewers would probably rather not relive. But it's still worth watching at least once.

Review by William Schwartz

"Oseam" is directed by Seong Baek-yeob and voiced by Kim Seo-young.

 

Available on DVD from YESASIA