[HanCinema's Film Review] "Penny Pinchers": Love on a budget

Kim Jeong-hwan-III's "Penny Pinchers" is a rather charming romantic comedy that highlights some of hardships the youth of Korea have to tackle. Two young lives become intertwined as they find each other amidst Korea's highly competitive, and seemingly unforgiving, rat race. It's them against the world, but not before the lies and deceit between them is resolved in a heart-felt journey of self-discovery and compassion.

Han Ye-seul plays the penny-pinching Goo Hong-sil whose obsession with making ends meet has robbed her of any intimate or meaningful relationships. She cuts corners wherever she can and has a number of schemes she utilises to get by. These include efforts such as recycling beer bottles, selling fake celebrity signatures, walking whenever she can, as well as enjoying her daily breakfast that comes in the form of a single egg she gathers from her lonely hen on her modest rooftop dwelling. All these activities are part of her daily routine, but she has one big scheme up her sleeve, and for her to pull it off she opportunistically makes use of her recently evicted rooftop neighbour Cheon Ji-woong (played by Song Joong-ki).

Cheon Ji-woong is a clumsy and reckless young fool who's financial and life choices have left him with next to nothing. Out of luck and out of home, Cheon takes up Han's offer to listen to her every word as they earn what pennies than can together in the hope of reaching their target. However, Cheon is still trying to keep up appearances with his money grabbing female fancy and doubts begin to come into his mind that Han might be pulling the wool over his eyes as he questions the true nature of her suddenly altruistic intervention.

"Penny Pinchers" has a lot of soul and it exposes a number of social issues in Korea. Youth unemployment rates in Korea makes it extremely difficult for young minds to find work. A lot of fresh high school and college graduates are stepping onto a highly competitive stage where any advantage is valued that will put you at the top of pile. Rising housing costs, the lack of social concern, and hypocritical social discourse is placing huge pressures on young lives as they struggle to get a foothold in the world. Some are victims of their own foolishness, such as Song Joong-ki's character, while individuals such as Han are sacrificing themselves to find a way to work within the harsh system. This is the opposition that "Penny Pinchers" paints and when the film's, although rather predictable, ending rolls around, one can't help but be filled with hope as these two lost and struggling individuals strangely complete one another. With Cheon's funny-loving nature and ability to enjoy life despite the cards he holds and Han's more down-to-earth practicalities, the two make for a enduring couple that you will struggle not to have high hopes for.

"Penny Pinchers" is a film that wants to you enjoy the journey of becoming as Cheon and Han love develops out of circumstances and honesty rather than passion or lust. The two come to appreciate and care for each other as they grasp the other's significance in their life. Of course we are aware that the two will, in all likelihood, be together by the end of film, it is not this destination but the path there that makes this little rom-com a delightfully touching piece worth your time.

-C.J. Wheeler (Chriscjw@gmail.com)

 

 

Available on DVD from YESASIA

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