"Pisces"

Ae-Ryun (played byLee Mi-yeon) is the proud new owner of a video rental store. She's an avid movie lover, and takes great joy in operating her shop to the most effective degree possible. Ae-Ryun doesn't just make sure that the decor, video system, and layout is perfect- she encourages her patrons to try out new, different, interesting movies that expand their horizons. Most of them have to be persuaded into this- except for Dong-Suk (played byChoi Woo-je), who's quite relieved to meet someone of Ae-Ryun's opinions running a video rental store.

The film's pacing is deliberately very slow. There are no events that clearly change the relationship completely, but only move it in very slow steps. By the end of the film, Ae-Ryun and Dong-Suk's relationship has become completely redefined compared to where they started out. And yet, I'm still not sure when exactly when this dramatic shift in tone happened.

This should all sound familiar- it mimics the way these interpersonal relationships work in real life. And like real people, the lead characters in "Pisces" do not fully grasp what is going on with themselves or other people emotionally. Even though they are all adults, they have these very specific ideas about the way things ought to be, and have difficulty adapting these opinions to changing information.

A big part of this is because, in spite of their similarities, the gulfs between Ae-Ryun and Dong-Suk are much wider than they may originally seem. Ae-Ryun is an introvert- she has few interpersonal relationships, and this greatly colors her motivation and attitude when meeting new people. Dong-Suk, by contrast, is an extrovert, and while this makes it easy for him to make and maintain friendships, his casual attitude makes it difficult for him to notice serious depth- even as, ironically enough, he can enjoy it through the movies.

Film itself is a pervasive metaphor through "Pisces". It is well-worth remembering that we, watching the movie, are spectators. Sitting in front of a screen, it's easy for us to maintain objectivity and see these emotional moments clearly. "Pisces" drags us out of this comfort zone by forcing the viewer to uncover what's going on just as slowly as the characters themselves figure it out. There's no magic of discovery as the film's direction becomes more clear- just the uncomfortable realization that we're probably not smart enough to evade these same pitfalls.

A certain level of introspection is necessary to appreciate "Pisces" for what it truly is. The characters are flawed mainly by their continuing use of an extremely positive outlook on life- an outlook which, by all superficial means, seems to be completely legitimate. And there's a certain logic to it, too. But the uselessness of these simplistic philosophies become crystal clear in a scene near the end, where the leads mutually confide in one another their worst failures made throughout the film. Thinking about which was the worst mistake is pointless- understanding "Pisces" means understanding our own assumptions. For the film watcher who can appreciate this depth, "Pisces" is a beauteous statement on what a failure to communicate really means.

Review by William Schwartz

"Pisces" is directed byKim Hyeong-taeand featuresLee Mi-yeon,Choi Woo-jeandYoon Ji-hye.

Available on DVD from YESASIA