It all starts and ends with a big bag full of cash, and in the middle a web of interconnected stories about the people who are eager to get their hands on it, some slimy and devilish, while others desperate and downtrodden, and the paths taken to secure the money are often violent, leaving a rather hefty body count in its wake. That’s the gist of what is going on in the new South Korean film, Beasts Clawing At Straws, which is coming from the writer/director, Kim Yong-hoon, who is making his debut here adapting the novel of the same name by Keisuke Sone.
Taking place in Pyeongtaek, we first meet Jung-man (Bae Sung-woo), a worker at a bathhouse who is in need of money to help provide for his family after undergoing bankruptcy. He finds the bag, but keeps it locked away in storage for the time being. Meanwhile, a customs agent Tae-young (Jung Woo-sung) has little time left to repay a sleazy loanshark, Mr. Park (Jung Man-sik). There’s also Mi-ran (Shin Hyun-been), a hostess who wants to escape her abusive husband, and finds herself entangled in a plan by a cocky Chinese customer who has the hots for her.
As you might expect, things don’t go as planned for any of the folks involved. These kinds of films are tricky. Because as soon as you’ve seen one, you’ve kind of seen them all. However, as much as these kinds of films don’t really innovate on the formula, there’s something about them that remains engaging, and it’s usually with the dark, yet playful tone that defines so many of these films. Beasts Clawing At Straws is a dark comedy, and it is not afraid to push the darkness, placing the characters in situations that often don’t leave them coming out in one piece, and I mean that literally.
Kim Yong-hoon balances the tone well enough, and a part of that is having a firm grasp at how he needs to direct these actors. Some of these folks are ones that you might recognize, even if you have just a slight familiarity with South Korean cinema, and they’re all terrific. I especially liked Jeon Do-yeon as the cold, steely Yeon-hee, who heads the establishment that Mi-ran works at. Jung Woo-sung really shined as well, playing against the type I’ve normally seen him, being the kind of guy who acts like he has it together but is clearly out of his element. And Bae Sung-woo as the sort-of lead is very good as well, making for one of the few characters that is easy to root for, despite some questionable decisions.
Like with a lot of films like this, it is a bit hard to get a grasp at what’s going on at first as the film jumps around from one character to another, but each individual storyline is compelling enough to keep you hooked. What ultimately matters is – does it come together well, or does it get too contrived? Thankfully, in the case of this film, it is definitely the former. The film builds tension really well as the pieces begin to fit into place, and the fates of certain characters were genuinely surprising to see unfold, even if the general idea behind them is something that we may have seen before.
Once it’s all said and done, Beasts Clawing At Straws was a really good time. It takes a formula that has been done plenty of times, especially in America during that 90s post-Pulp Fiction indie boom, but it is put together in a way that is just smart enough to make it fun. I don’t think it adds up to all that much aside from being a relatively straightforward thriller with a mean streak, but as far as pure entertainment goes, I was very engrossed with what Kim Yong-hoon did here, and it’s all the more impressive considering it’s a lot to tackle for a first feature. The performances from its cast is great across the board, and they are all in tune to the darkly comic vibe that the filmmakers are going for. Fans of South Korean cinema will find a lot to like here, but if you are new, this is a film that is very accessible, but without watering down some of the elements that define the best work that often comes out of that industry.
Beasts Clawing At Straws is now playing in virtual cinemas, and will be available on VOD platforms on December 15th.