3-Iron

Enigmatic but engaging tale from the Far East this one – it could almost be a companion piece to the enormously enjoyable German film The Edukators on general release since in both, people break into houses but not with any degree of criminal intent.

In 3-Iron Tae-Suk is a quiet young man who delivers take-away leaflets through doors during the day. Towards the end of the day, he can spot an empty house by the fact that the leaftlet has not been removed from the letter box or off the front door. Then he lets himself in, checks the obvious signs that an owner is on holiday and stays the night. Given he’s used their home for his own ends, he often fixes faulty appliances for owners since he’s a dab hand with electrical objects.

Naturally its not all plain-sailing. He picks up a companion Seon-Hwa (Lee), a woman happy to escape her violent golf-mad hubbie who is taken to task with thrilling golf-driving gusto by the mute Tae-Suk, and soon they are both at it, delivering leaftlets and leading a nomadic existence as they move from house to house each day.

3-Iron has a poetic edge to it, its also got a distinctly leftfield stance since it offers a way of life that seems exploitative but in fact is quite giving. It comes from a South Korean director whose previous films such as The Isle or Spring, Summer, Autumn are also both affecting and memorable in differing ways. You tend to realize before the end which way the film might go but its still a neat surprise when it happens and by then you have grown fond of a man who if he broke into your house, would leave the video and even mend the toaster you’ve been meaning to throw out !

Matt Arnoldi