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Hopeless

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Hopeless

Released Oct 20, 2023

2h 13m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Yeon-gyu (HONG Xa-bin) is a teenage boy who wants to escape his hometown where violence is commonly enacted among neighbors. He only hopes to have a peaceful life with his mother. However, the world never allows him to have a dream nor hope for life. When Yeon-gyu needs a hand from grown-ups, Chi-geon (SONG Joong-ki), a thug of the town, offers a favor. The simple favor leads Yeon-gyu to explore the world of Chi-geon. It ironically results in Yeon-gyu gradually falling into Chi-geon's life. Grasping a hope to run away from where he is, he struggles between the border. Can he escape from the town at the end?

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Valerie Complex

Deadline Hollywood Daily

While the premise had potential, the execution doesn’t work in tandem with the story, it draws the audience into 120 minutes of character misery without offering much else.

May 26, 2023

Full Review

Nicolás Medina

FIPRESCI

Serves as proof of the great achievement of Korean cinema in recent decades as it denounces the underworld life in South Korea, and how many innocent people are forced to enter a life guided by the illegal to survive.

Rated: 10/10

Jan 7, 2024

Full Review

John Lui

The Straits Times (Singapore)

This tale of loan sharks, alcohol abuse and domestic violence set in a poor neighbourhood is nearly derailed by how Song’s character is handled, but Hong’s effortless realism saves it.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 25, 2023

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Àngel Quintana

Caimán Cuadernos de Cine

Hopeless is a debut feature that works like a flawless thriller with moments of extreme violence and a few bloodbaths. [Full review in Spanish]

Jun 6, 2023

Full Review

James Mottram

South China Morning Post

Hopeless is a competently made and acted drama that is moodily shot. It simmers with tension.

Rated: 4/5

May 26, 2023

Full Review

Lee Marshall

Screen International

There’s a clarity of vision and a control of mood that sets Hopeless above the run of hard-boiled genre titles.

May 24, 2023

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Hala N

As a fan of the genre I really loved this dark movie. I do agree that the pacing of the plot was quite unfortunate, but I still enjoyed this story. It's a great debut work and I hope the director will get better and better.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/17/24

Full Review

Marc Z

Hopeless, is a visceral, gritty, and thoughtful crime drama hitting digital this week. This well acted, and well directed film is more drama than crime-drama in many respects, and it is those elements that will have you thinking long after you are done watching Hopeless. The basic story is that of poor, troubled boy that gets involved with the wrong crowd in order better his life, and that of his Mom's. However, this movie does not take the easy way out in unfolding the story. It is painful and disturbing at times. There are also times when the emotions of the characters are confusing; by that I don't attribute it to poor filmmaking. Just the opposite. The story makes us understand that these characters are complex. Hopeless is not rated, but it is not for the faint of heart, or for children. It is very good, and I do recommend it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/22/24

Full Review

Markus T

Great acting, very nice atmosphere, but probably 10min too long and some un-justified violence

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/20/24

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JUN P

A tragic yet beautiful story of a boy who has fallen into the water before and another boy who has just drowned.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/18/24

Full Review

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Kim Chang-hoon

Director

Hong Xa Bin

Yeon-kyu

Song Joong-ki

Chi-geon

Kim Jong-soo

Actor

BIBI

Actor

Park Bo-kyung

Actor

Hopeless: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Yeon-gyu (HONG Xa-bin) is a teenage boy who wants to escape his hometown where violence is commonly enacted among neighbors. He only hopes to have a peaceful life with his mother. However, the world never allows him to have a dream nor hope for life. When Yeon-gyu needs a hand from grown-ups, Chi-geon (SONG Joong-ki), a thug of the town, offers a favor. The simple favor leads Yeon-gyu to explore the world of Chi-geon. It ironically results in Yeon-gyu gradually falling into Chi-geon's life. Grasping a hope to run away from where he is, he struggles between the border. Can he escape from the town at the end?

Director: Kim Chang-hoon
Producer: Han Jae-deok, Song Joong-ki
Screenwriter: Kim Chang-hoon
Distributor: Well Go USA Entertainment
Production Co: Sanai Pictures, Hi-Story Production
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: Korean
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 20, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 25, 2024
Runtime: 2h 13m

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