Two couples discover a shocking truth about their children over a family dinner in this tense drama based on Herman Koch’s novel The Dinner.
The story involves two families: a careerist lawyer (Sul Kyung-gu of Peppermint Candy and Oasis) with his young and beautiful wife (Claudia Kim) and his brother, a principled doctor (Jang Dong-gun), whose wife (Kim Hee-ae) is caring and selfless. They are not friends, but traditionally meet for regular dinners to exchange news and discuss a care home for the brothers’ ailing mother. One day, their conversation touches on a CCTV recording of two teenagers beating up a homeless person, which has been spread by the media. The couples identify the attackers as their children and try to come to an agreement on whether they should call the police or keep the secret to protect their wellbeing. The more details come to light, the more difficult their moral dilemma becomes.
Herman Koch’s novel is set in Europe and features an unreliable narrator. Hur Jin-ho has moved the story to South Korea, where family is traditionally the main source of drama and conflict, with the themes of social and economic inequality adding to the tension. Montage has taken the place of the unreliable narrator, creating unexpected turns and building tension.
The film premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in 2023.
The film will be screened in Korean with Russian subtitles.
A Normal Family
Director: Hur Jin-ho
South Korea, 2023. 109 min.
18+