MY SASSY GIRL

Never heard of it?  Neither had I until a friend brought it over a little over a year ago.   I was then introduced to one of the best, and most original, romantic comedies of this generation.  It’s not in English obviously.  Learn to read subtitles or GTFO is how I really feel about it, but there is an American remake that I haven’t seen and won’t endorse.  So I’ll forgive you for not having seen My Sassy Girl… for now.

What starts off as a guy named Gyeon-Wu saving a drunken girl (who is never named in the entire movie) from falling into a train as she throws up on him turns into non-stop win.  At the time of its release it became the highest grossing Korean comedy of all time and then went on to become a huge success across most of Asia.  It is supposedly based on a true story, but in this age so many movies claim that, so I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the “true story”.

Split into three parts, the movie spans an impressive region of time for something as simple as a romantic comedy.  Freshening up the scenes is the fact that the girl is an aspiring screenwriter, allowing for the story to take alternate reality side stories within the confines of what is usually a very formulaic genre.   One of these plays out as an action movie where the girl is the badass and Gyeon-Wu is the endangered “damsel in distress”., which is also atypical of the genre, but very welcome.

Dealing with issues such as depression, forgiveness, and the theme that most romantic comedies avoid… that you’re lover might be a jerk and that’s okay, My Sassy Girl juggles the comedy, unexpected twists (yes I said unexpected about a romantic comedy), and emotional power of the movie with ease.

The third act is so good that I can’t say more than, “Please do yourself a favor and watch this.”

Go rent My Sassy Girl at one of your local video stores.  You know… the ones that carry more than just The Avengers and overpriced candy.

If you don’t have one of those, I’m sure you could find a way to watch My Sassy Girl. Somehow, you will find a way.