david l
The Fake deals with an important issue of organized religion's financial exploitation, but it needed a more level-headed and less one-sided approach to telling its story. Yeon Sang-ho is a great director, but in this second feature he was too passionate, resulting in a biased, overly misanthropic and overbearingly dark excursion. The animation and dialogue are strong, but the characters are too despicable to handle.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
One of the most in your face, brutally honest and also oddest films I've seen in awhile. It's obviously an indictment on the relation between the hopeless, rural poverty, christianity invading eastern culture and blind religious faith. It shows a fine example of how people can be easily swindled, lied to and robbed by fantastical claims and promises when there seems to be no other options in this life; so they're setting all their bets on the next. The only real gripe with the movie, and its a large one, is the despicable, loathsome, evil, foul-mouthed, wife beating, child abusing, drunkard anti-hero of the film who isnt really a hero in any sense. I mean, yeah he was the only one who really saw the church for what it really was, but I think he only knew they because its easy to spot your own kind; even if they are dressed in white robes. I can't even begin to describe how much you will hate this character and wish him due harm even though in his own misguided way he is trying to expose the lies of the church, but don't be fooled for a moment that its for some honorable purpose of protecting the rural folk from swindlers. In the beginning of the film, he steals his daughter's savings she had in her room, the only money she had to pay for her college tuition by way, and spent it all on a night of binge drinking and gambling. While at a bar, he sees a guy he just doesn't happen to like the way he looks and picks a fight with him and that person gets the best of him with a brick to the face. Just so happens to be that lying swindling church pastor. So his motivation isn't for the greater good of the town, it's basically for revenge against a guy who got the best of him in a fight in the bathroom. I'll say this about the film, its got REAL characters. There's no caricatures here. For better or worst everybody has motivation for what they do. From the girl who becomes a prostitute for the "Lord", to the dying wife who says she must give all her money to the church in order to get to heaven (they are taught there are only 144,000 seats in heaven and that they have to give their worldly possessions away to get there) to the church pastor (of course his is very basic) money is pretty awesome and these people are easy targets) to the people who think they have to suffer terribly in this life to get some type of reward in the next. There's a certain crudeness even in how the film looks. It has that old school Japanese hand drawn animation style I haven't seen since the late 90's which i'll admit added to the over all experience. I'll leave with this, its a nasty, bloody, profane, honest film that will rub many viewers the wrong way, even those not of faith. However, you cant deny it's power or its no bars hold approach to the material. They are no heroes here. There are no winners. Hell if you ask me there's no real moral to the story. Just a glimpse at a real social and cultural crisis that has been plaguing South Korea for the past century or so. This is a story that has happened many times in many different ways. Even if you hate the film, it will definitely leave a lasting impact on you for days to come. As it did me. (The Fake is in Korean with English subtitles).
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/30/23
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