The Recipe

Korean filmmaker Lee Seo-Goon (aka Anna Lee) serves up a strange but interesting mix of mystery, drama, and culinary eccentricity in The Recipe. When notorious mass murderer Kim Hyun-soo (Lee Dong-wook) is allowed to request a last meal before his execution, he calls for a bowl of doenjang jjigae (bean curd stew). Television producer Choi Yu-jin (Ryoo Seung-ryong) suspects there's a story in this odd request, and he discovers that Kim was arrested at a small restaurant outside of Seoul while enjoying this dish. Choi travels to the eatery, where he learns that a lovely young woman named Jang Hye-jin (Lee Yo-won) created the culinary concoction, which was a favorite of the fearsome Kim; however, she was killed in an automobile accident after Kim's capture. While Choi tries to piece together the mystery of Jang's life (which included a doomed love affair), he also discovers the unique qualities that she brought to the meal that captivated Kim and helped lead to his capture. Although The Recipe often feels like a shaggy dog story, to the point that the original focus—Kim's death row request—gets put on the proverbial back burner, the enchanting cinematography and subtle performances by the wonderful ensemble make this a nicely palatable foreign film. Recommended. (P. Hall)