You might say Do-jun and his mother are closer than your average parent and child.
She cuts up his dinner for him and even even cleans up his mess when he urinates in public.
But when the son is hauled away on murder charges, the mother really shows there’s no limit to her maternal love.
“Mother,” from the director of the trippy monster film “The Host,” deftly blends humor and pathos into a near-irresistible tale of parental trust.
Kim Hye-ja plays the titular mother, a woman still living with her grown son, Do-jun (Weon Bin). He’s in his 20s but not mentally sharp enough to care for himself. And she dotes on him like any mother might.
Well, perhaps a bit more than most would. The two share the same bed, after all, even if the nightly spooning is platonic.
Their relationship changes when Do-joon is accused of killing a local teen. He’s quickly charged and prosecuted, and the simple-minded man offers little defense.
But his mother doesn’t believe her son could commit such a crime, and she goes to great lengths to prove his innocence.
The director, who previously gave us the comic horror film “The Host,” already proved he could mix genres with alacrity. Here, the juggling act is more complex, but far more rewarding.
You’ll laugh at Do-joon’s behavior and wince as he legally buries himself with his ramblings to local law enforcement.
Hye-ja holds the film together all the same, making each step of her character’s investigation into the death of the girl believable and chilling.
The legal machinations against Do-jun seem tilted in favor of nudging the story along, but most of the other details presented here flow nicely with the narrative.
The Blu-ray edition of “Mother” comes packed with smart extras, including a wealth of behind-the-scenes material and some interesting comments from cast and crew about their own mothers. The latter shows the cultural differences between Korean and U.S. filmmakers, and it’s illuminating to hear their perspectives in light of the film itself.
(Photo: Actress Kim Hye-ja plays a devoted mum to her mentally challenged son in “Mother.” Magnolia Home Entertainment)
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