Moyoung Jin's moving documentary—which broke box-office records in its native South Korea—presents a memorable portrait of the 100-year-old Korean lovebirds Byong-man Jo (actually, he is 98) and Gye-Yeul Kang (his 89-year-old wife), who have been married for more than 75 years. Shot over a 15-month period, My Love, Don't Cross That River captures the day-to-day relationship of this elderly couple who have managed to retain their youthful love—still having playful snowball fights and tossing leaves at one another. But while the pair may give the impression of perpetual adolescence, both are also gravely aware that their time together is coming to an end, and the film becomes especially poignant when Jo's health begins to fail and Kang must face the prospect of living out her days without her beloved husband. Although occasionally a bit heavy on syrupy sentimentalism, this intimate cinema vérité profile features many scenes that are emotionally powerful, including a family dinner with the couple's adult children that turns sour, the sad loss of a dog, and sequences capturing Jo's increasing illness. While some will find the slow pace and meandering narrative off-putting, patient viewers will be rewarded with a true love story that also presents an honest look at some of the most difficult aspects of aging. Also included as a bonus is Christian Bruno and Natalija Vekic's 2014 short documentary Ed & Pauline, centering on film exhibitor Ed Landberg and critic Pauline Kael, who together ran an influential San Francisco art house theater during their brief, tumultuous marriage. Recommended. (P. Hall)
My Love, Don't Cross That River
Film Movement, 86 min., in Korean w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.99, Nov. 1 Volume 32, Issue 1
My Love, Don't Cross That River
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