The Bow

An elemental drama shot in a minimalist style, South Korean director Kim Ki-Duk's The Bow revolves around a May-December romantic triangle. A grizzled 60-year-old fisherman lives on a boat with an orphaned 16-year-old girl, whom he hopes to marry on her next birthday, all of which changes with the arrival of a teenage boy who becomes a rival for the girl's affections. Narrow in scope and elegant in simplicity, The Bow—the title refers to the old man's Korean fiddle that also serves as a deadly bow he uses to protect the girl from would-be admirers—could have almost been a silent movie, since the actors' facial expressions and body language convey much of the film's emotional content, while the directing is masterfully restrained. A spare but powerful film, The Bow is recommended. (E. Hulse)