Poetry

Poetry, a film by Lee Chang-Dong, first entered my radar space when its lead actress, Yoon Jeong-hee, won the Best Actress award bestowed by the L.A. Film Critics. I can confirm that it's a magnificent performance in a poignant but not mawkish film.

Yoon plays a 66-year-old woman who lives a quiet life, working part-time as a health-care assistant for an elderly man who has had a stroke. She lives with her grandson, a sullen boy who instantly inspires the viewer to want to slap him. He is rude to her, but she bears this with a kind of resigned grace.

The film begins with Yoon visiting a doctor. Her arm is tingling, but more ominously, she has begun to forget words, like electricity and wallet. Still maintaining a positive attitude, she enrolls in a poetry class. The teacher asks his students to take notes on what they see, their only assignment being to write one poem before the end of the term.

Framing this is the tragic story of a young girl who has committed suicide. I hesitate to explain how this ties in with Yoon's story, but it will, turning her life upside down, and challenging her sunny optimism about life.

Poetry proceeds at a leisurely pace, much like the flowing river that is the beginning and ending shots of the film. It deals with the creative process--why can people sometimes feel the poem inside them, but not write it--but it also addresses a kind of heartbreak, the kind that can create poetic inspiration.

Yoon is a major star in South Korea, but hadn't appeared in a film since 1994. She gives her character a kind of child-like innocence. In one key scene she goes to meet the mother of the young suicide victim, but can't speak of that, and instead talks poetically about an avocado that has fallen to the ground. Later, when she meets the mother again, who now understands why Yoon came to visit her, they exchange just the slightest look of understanding.

I have long had a blind spot when it comes to poetry. I have trouble reading it, my eyes not wanting to follow the form. I couldn't tell you why one poem is better than another. Though this film didn't answer all of my questions, it did give me some insights into the motivation of those who love it, and those who write it.