(Movie Review) ‘A Normal Family’: unpredictable journey down morally foggy road

Audiences should brace themselves for an intense and ethically murky journey in director Hur Jin-ho’s “A Normal Family.”

Throughout the film, viewers will be confronted with unsettling questions about what “normal” decisions, if any, can be made when it comes to life-altering dilemmas involving one’s own children, who have participated in a deadly assault on a homeless man.

What choices can be deemed “normal” when facing such dire circumstances. And what defines “good” and “wise” parental decisions for the teenage children when they, showing no remorse, appear to treat the situation as if it were just part of a video game?

The film opens with a disturbing yet not-unheard-of road rage incident, setting the tone for the entire narrative. A reckless driver in a luxurious sports car rams into an enraged father attempting to block the path, resulting in the father’s death and leaving his young daughter severely injured.

The film’s lead characters, who are brothers, soon find themselves on the opposite side of the tragic traffic accident: The elder brother, Jae-wan (Sul Kyung-gu), steps in to legally defend the reckless chaebol heir, while the younger brother, Jae-gyu (Jang Dong-gun), treats the injured girl as her pediatrician.

During a cordial dinner at an upscale restaurant, where they discuss family matters, including their ailing mother, the brothers display some affection. However, when it comes to life values and moral principles, they couldn’t be more different, with the elder brother prioritizing money above all else and the younger taking saving lives as his highest duty.

Their lives are turned upside down in ways that they never imagined when closed-circuit video footage of the indiscriminate attack surfaces, and the police begin pursuing the case.

The ensemble cast includes two talented actresses alongside the leading men. Kim Hee-ae, who has most recently appeared in the Netflix Korean original series “The Whirlwind,” plays the devoted mother with a long history of volunteering for underprivileged children, while “Avengers: Age of Ultron” star Claudia Kim portrays Jae-wan’s second, much younger trophy wife, who constantly feels unwelcome within the family. As a distant observer of the unfolding drama, she arguably embodies the most “normal” character in the film.

The movie closely examines the internal struggles of the adults as they grapple with moral dilemmas and the values they’ve long cherished. This is highlighted through creative camerawork, such as overhead shots of the characters during tense discussions or scenes filmed from outside, peering through windows, emphasizing their emotional isolation and conflict.

Some scenes, however, feel contrived, and characters’ dialogue is so abrupt that it unintentionally elicits laughter, briefly disrupting audience engagement and concentration. Some viewers may also find the characters’ sudden shift in attitudes toward handling the situation jarring. This, coupled with the dramatic twist at the end, might undermine the character development established throughout the film.

Adapted from the novel “Het Diner” by Dutch writer Herman Koch, the director, known for multiple acclaimed, lyrical films, including “Christmas in August” (1998), “One Fine Spring Day” (2001) and “The Last Princess” (2016), seeks to make the story more relevant to contemporary Korea by incorporating various social issues, such as school bullying, the intensive competition for university entrance and conflicts with in-laws.

“A Normal Family” had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last September. The movie is said to have been edited since. It is set for domestic release Oct. 16.