I could not watch this film without any expectation or prejudice, as I know someone who has a sibling that is an adopted Korean child. However I still tried to keep an open mind, and I think the film is executed well.
Freddie is the only character that is really fleshed out and I think that's right. There are several other characters, notably Freddie's father, that are treated with respect by the film but they are not given a lot of depth. But since it's not their story that is being told they all have to take a back seat to the little girl that it's all about.
After watching this I did a little digging and I found that adoption, foreign or not, is culturally, politically and therefore historically laden in South Korea. You have to want to go looking for it as the film does not push the subject too heavily, but it certainly has several scenes referring to this subject from the institutional rather than the personal viewpoint.
I do think the film has some problems in finding the right tone and there are segments that do not help progress the story. The whole birthday party segment might be nicely shot but does not really add anything.
All in all it's a good film and it triggered me to learning a bit more about its subject matter.
Freddie is the only character that is really fleshed out and I think that's right. There are several other characters, notably Freddie's father, that are treated with respect by the film but they are not given a lot of depth. But since it's not their story that is being told they all have to take a back seat to the little girl that it's all about.
After watching this I did a little digging and I found that adoption, foreign or not, is culturally, politically and therefore historically laden in South Korea. You have to want to go looking for it as the film does not push the subject too heavily, but it certainly has several scenes referring to this subject from the institutional rather than the personal viewpoint.
I do think the film has some problems in finding the right tone and there are segments that do not help progress the story. The whole birthday party segment might be nicely shot but does not really add anything.
All in all it's a good film and it triggered me to learning a bit more about its subject matter.