Ranking The Films Of Bong Joon-ho From Worst To Best
4. Mother
A woman fights to prove that her slightly handicapped son is innocent when he is convicted of killing a teenage girl. The film was written with Kim Hye-ja in mind for the leading role and you can see why. She is fantastic as she searches for any proof that her son couldn't be capable of such a violent crime while dealing with a town that has completely turned on her.
Mother is a rich and layered character study of a woman desperate to protect her son and Bong conveys his narrative through a gritty and tightly paced lens. As all good crimes films should do, every scene feels necessary and crucial to the building mystery and as Bong slowly pulls back the curtain on the truth, you will be at the edge of your seat with anticipation.
The last 30 minutes or so in particular are some of Bong's finest storytelling and bring the film to a satisfying conclusion.
It does feel like it borrows some moments and imagery from Memories of Murder, which prevents it from placing higher on this list but that doesn't stop it from being an amazing crime thriller worthy of your time.