"A Normal Family" A star-studded cast gathers around the dinner table to tell the tale of the curse and collapse of modern families

Skillfully adapting Western novels into a Korean style

The film is based on the international best-selling book "Het Diner" (English title: "The Dinner ") by Dutch author Herman Koch.

Heo Jin-ho and screenwriter Park Eun-kyo ( Mother /09) have done a surprisingly good job of adapting this European subject into a story about modern Korean society, with attention to detail and a script that reads like a stage play.

The film is packed with the real problems that most families experience, such as sibling feuds, differences in lifestyles and ideologies, caring for parents, distance from children, social disparity, elitism, and entrance exam problems, all laid out like fine cuisine on the table. As a result, when a certain suspicion emerges about their teenage children, the parents are forced to ask themselves how they should deal with it.

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This is a thrilling suspense drama with a completely opposite feel to " Christmas in August ," but instead of using tricks to move the plot around, he focuses on the inner lives of each character and develops the story based on accurate portrayals of human beings. This is typical of Heo Jin-ho.

The performances of the charismatic figures who led the Korean film industry in the 2000s are outstanding. Sol Kyung-gu has a scrupulous and calm demeanor, while Jang Dong-gun is passionate and human. They exude complex emotions in the smallest of expressions and gestures, and even when expressing joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, they always create a distorted depth by adding shading that cannot be expressed in words.

While each individual's presence has an impact, it never gets in the way of the story. The more the charm of the ensemble stands out, the faster the plot speeds up like a rollercoaster, and the fate that awaits them explodes like a time bomb. Then, all of a sudden, the four of them sit at dinner and, without realizing it, their positions have been reversed and swapped in a mysteriously The Natural way. This brilliant touch is like watching a magic trick.

What family and blood ties bring