TWILIGHT GANGSTERS a.k.a. REVOLVER GANGSTERS’ GANG a.k.a. YUKHYEOLPO ROBBERS a.k.a. GRANDMA GANGSTERS [YUKHYEOLPO KANGDODAN | 육혈포강도단 | 육혈포 강도단]

http://www.bbangbbang2010.co.kr/

USA 2010 Directed by: Kang Hyo-Jin Written by: Ki-Eop Han Produced by: Lee Seo-Yeol Editing: Moon In-Dae Cast: Na Moon-Hee, Kim Su-Mi, Kim Hye-Ok, Lim Chang Jung, Kim Kwang-Kyu, Kim Hee-Won, Kang Kyeong-Heon, Jang Won-Yeong, Kim Min-Jwa, Son Kwang-Eop, Yu Ha-Na, Kim Kwang-Sik, Han Kuk-Jin

For eight long years three gannies have saved up to finally afford a trip to Hawaii together. Their “savings” are actually earnings: money they earned from systematically robbing convenience stores and supermarkets. After each heist the loot is sold on the street and the money stashed away.

Now finally the day has come when they have scraped every single Won together and want to book their trip, but the travel agent doesn’t accept cash – so they have to go to a bank, deposit the money and wire it to the agent. It’s probably Friday the 13^th or something as the very moment they deposit the money the bank is robbed by armed gangsters – their money, their dreams and eight years of hard work as thieves end up in smoke. But our trio doesn’t give up easily: determined to go to Hawaii no matter what they are soon on the trail of the robbers in pursuit of their money.

TWILIGHT GANGSTERS is a remake of the German movie JETZT ODER NIE – ZEIT IST GELD (“NOW OR NEVER” (2000)), directed by Lars Büchel and produced by Til Schweiger (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS). TWILIGHT GANGSTERS is very close to the original, sticks to the storyline from beginning to end when the grannies are finally becoming bank robbers themselves. However, the original movie title is more conceptual as it indicates that they are running out of time as one of them is succumbing to cancer soon, which is why they urgently need to go on this last trip together. That is the reason they need to get that money back or find more money asap.

The idea has worked well for the German movie and also works pretty well here. It may all read cheesy on paper, but with an ensemble of well-known veteran actresses TWILIGHT GANGSTERS is charming, funny and unconventional. With a concept that has been tried, tested and proven successful Kang Hyo-Jin couldn’t do much wrong: the only critical factor was the cast, but Na Moon-Hee, Kim Su-Mi and Kim Hye-Ok are a wonderful choice. Their acting is excellent and they are very, very funny while never overacting, at the same time they bring heart and soul to the crime drama.

With so many mediocre or plain unbearable movies this year I recommend TWILIGHT GANGSTERS as one of the most enjoyable and unconventional Korean movies so far. It is not original, obviously, but nevertheless well-rounded entertainment and rewarding to watch.

This entry was posted on 2010/07/20 at 22:33 and is filed under K YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2010, TITLE G, TITLE R, TITLE T, TITLE Y. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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