Gogo chilship (2008) Reviews

• High energy fun with a old message

  julesette-12009-07-03

  I picked this movie to see totally at random. I was perusing the list of films in the Asian Film Festival and thought, hmm..70s..music...this one sounds fun! It's true, the characters were not fully developed, but it wasn't about the people in the band. It was about the band, the authority they subverted, and their affect on the young people. Yes, it's an old story, the powers that be attempt to stop the "those kids and their crazy music" (which in this case could lead to the takeover of South Korea by Communism), and as such, it's timeless. Although the music is some sort of soul/R&R, I found the band's energy and attitude more reminiscent of the dawn of punk rock. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the audience as The Devils made their debut in Seoul, as they sat there quietly, not having a clue what to make of them. Enter Mimi (the luminous and occasionally pouty Sin Min-ah) with her costumes and dance moves, and the public becomes mesmerized. I thought the film took a turn for the worse with the obligatory band member death followed by the brutal treatment of the police in its attempts to end this youthful exuberance by grabbing the "long-hairs" and jailing them. But it just serves to unite the disintegrating band against a common enemy. This movie is not just about a band. It's about the eternal struggle of youth versus authority. The music is fun, musician turned actor Cha Seung-woo is a stand-out. With the exception of Mimi, none of the characters were particularly likable, but I still had no trouble rooting for The Devils' fight, and for the kids of Seoul who escaped to their music every late night. The reunion show is a fantastic climax. And, of course, you can't forget the three beautiful Go-Go dancers, they just add to the energy of the film.

• Not Terrible, But Tries Too Hard.

  gohmifune2009-06-21

  The movie is hard to rate. I for one can't tell if there is some hidden Korean cultural context that I missed, or if that it was faking it. I am leaning towards the latter. The movie is about a "soul band" in the seventies called "The Devils" and their existence in post war South Korea. You can in fact apply the formula that most band movies have to this movie. Without spoiling too much, it does have the standard things come full circle ending. Possibly the biggest problem with the movie was the music. Used are various 60s/70s/pre-disco era American music, which is fine considering context, but the selections aren't great when couple with the singers, and the songs contribute nothing to the plot. In fact the entire setting is unnecessary, and could have easily taken place in modern day. This makes any importance that music had at that time in South Korea seem trivial and detaches the viewer from the experience of the film. Acting was fine, if a little bit forced. The script wasn't great, but production was strong and direction was solid. The movie as a whole just didn't seem to come together very well.