Life’s Mundane Beauty: In Our Day Review

Release Date：May/17/2024

Genre：Drama

Director：Hong Sang-soo

Cast：Gi Ju-bong、Kim Min-hee

Viola's Rating：8.3

Once again, award-winning South Korean indie director Hong Sang-Soo has crafted another slow-paced feature film about everyday dilemmas. His latest film, In Our Day, had a limited release in the US on May 17, 2024.

As Hong’s 30th flick, the story revolves around a 40-something actress staying with her friend and her friend’s cat, and an aging poet in declining health who lives alone. Both receive visits from different young aspiring actors who ask them about their careers and life itself.

Hong is known for reflecting on his own life in his motion pictures. Especially after the affair between him and Kim Min-Hee, the actress from Right Now, Wrong Then, was reported, people noticed how the movie's storyline closely mirrored their relationship. In In Our Day, the characters answering questions from young actors are those who have worked with Hong several times. Notably, the actress in her 40s is played by Kim. While watching the picture, the audience may struggle to distinguish whether they are speaking as their characters or as themselves, creating an ambiance reminiscent of "All the World’s a Stage."

There are two groups of people in In Our Day. Although they are not connected, we can still see intriguing parallels between them, suggesting that similar occurrences can happen in parallel lives. If we find people who are like us, we are fortunate, but even if we don’t, it’s totally fine because everyone is unique in their own way.

Like Hong’s other feature films depicting everyday life, In Our Day presents the characters' ordinary day, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own. The film might seem plain, but isn’t that what a typical day looks like?

In Our Day not only celebrates the beauty of simple, everyday moments but also highlights some of the bad habits humans have. Even when we know something is bad for us or our bodies can't handle it, we still want to try it because forbidden things are often more tempting.

Besides the Q&A sections between seasoned and new actors, In Our Day delves into thought-provoking issues we encounter in life, such as loss. It doesn’t necessarily mean death, but what are the things we can't live without? 

Interestingly, the cat plays a significant role in In Our Day. Director Hong named the cat Us, representing a life that everyone could or should live. While we might occasionally question our place in the world, Hong’s best advice is not to overthink. Just live in the moment, do what you ought to do, and appreciate the small things, much like this flick.

If you're not familiar with Hong’s style of filmmaking, you might not enjoy In Our Day. However, it's motion pictures like this that truly capture the essence and flavor of life.

Picture Credit: atmovies, Rottentomatoes