(All shunners move along now, nothing to see here)

OK. Now that we're alone: I can reveal my true feelings about My Wife is a Gangster. Disappointment. I really like the cover, though. Based on the reviews and the cover I bought it. That is the problem with high expectations and covers. One has the potential to let you down, and the other has the potential to also let you down. Would I trade My Wife as a Gangster for Kill Bill 3? Not on your life.

Just because I was disappointed doesn't mean it isn't a good little movie. I just expected the chick on the cover (Shin Eun-Kyung, I presume) to be a little cuter. Not looks-wise, she's plenty cute enough, but character-wise. Call it the romantic in me. As it turns out the 'Wife' in question is the main character and is the boss of a crime gang (I don't know if there's a term for that in Korea, like the Japanese Yakuza, or Chinese Triads) ... so, yeah, she's the boss of the gang while the Big Boss is away. So she gets a lot of respect, and she's pretty damn tough. She not only is tough, but acts tough, showing little tenderness or emotion.

She's missing something though: a husband. Based on the cover, I wouldn't mind taking the job, but based on the character in the actual movie, I'd think more than twice about it. I don't remember what the excuse was, but it was important for her image or standing or something that she get married. Oh, what an idiot! Now I remember, she has a sick sister who really wants to see her married, and the sick sister is the only one that she cares about, so she obliges.

The humour comes in as this tough as nails gangster woman has to hide her real 'work' from her sick sister, find a husband, and then hide her real 'work' from him. I should say that getting a husband for her isn't so easy. Even with her crime brothers doing their best to help out. She doesn't have a romantic bone in her body (that's why she and I wouldn't get along) and seems to have no idea whatsoever how to act like a woman on a date. So naturally, this is a big part of the story and its humour.

Once she has a husband, oh boy does he have a great time. He gets slapped around when he annoys her, his romantic sexual advances are rebuffed with, well, getting slapped around, and he basically tries really hard to understand and be a good husband and gets slapped around for it.

All the elements for a great film are there: marriage, slapping, sick sister, Korean underworld - I think Disney used this formula for The Little Mermaid, but I didn't see that one so I can't personally verify. I think it suffers from two things. One of them is a low budget, which is OK. The second is not knowing how good a film this is. What I mean is, I get the sense that if the filmmakers knew its potential, they would have made an even better film. Don't ask me to explain any more. I grow weary.

This is a good movie that was a big hit in Korea (and elsewhere I think) so set your expectations low and get charmed by this not so sweet little comedy.

DO NOT BUY THIS FILM IF: You are completely crazy and wouldnt want a gun-toting sweetie in a white shirt and gloves with a little scar on her cheek hanging around the house performing maintenance on her firearms, and sorting her ammo.

RECOMMENDATION: I do recommend this film. Coming from Movie Samurai, you can take that to the bank. They just won't give you much for it.

One could easily imagine this plot being remade by Hollywood, for instance with Steve Martin as the gormless husband selected by the gangsteress to promote her marriage and pregnancy, or Angeline Jolie in the title role. Many of the rough edges would undoubtedly have to be smoothed off in the process, as My Wife Is A Gangster is surprisingly violent, notably in the final scenes where the pregnant heroine is kicked in the stomach. As such, it works as a Long Kiss Goodnight scenario in reverse, as the non-nonsense action woman has to discover/re-invent her softer side. The action of the film is sandwiched between two major confrontations: the first, as the opening credit sequence roll, is a startlingly stylish fight in the rain, featuring the deadly flying knives of Eun-jin, and the last a revenge attack on those who have killed a popular henchman. In between there is another stylish knife fight, this time a matter of honour between Eun-jin and a Japanese martial arts expert, whom she succeeds in defeating and reducing to 'a eunuch'. This confrontation, set in long grass and rolling hills, whether deliberate or not, reminds one of the climax in Kurosawa's early masterpiece Sugato Sanshiro (1945). While not on that level, and influenced by the cool shenanigans of The Matrix (1999), the present film makes the most of a fairly limited budget in the action department, effectively conveying the casual violence of gangsterdom.

In fact so insistent are the set pieces that the more frequent, quieter moments of the film require some adjustment on the part of the viewer. First-time director Cho Jin-Kyo has chosen a tricky property in terms of tone, and has trouble balancing the fault line between villainous combat and the social comedy surrounding it. Hong Kong cinema, of even the most serious genre kind, can have a slapstick manner that's disconcerting to Western audiences. Fortunately a lot of that distraction is absent here, although there is a peculiar scene in this film involving smelly feet, a resuscitated cat and a tense stand off between gangs that works notably uneasily. The subplot, featuring Shitboy and his mentor Romeo (a ultra-cool henchman), is more effective, although the occasional Laurel and Hardy antics hardly connects with the main predicament of Eun-Jin.

It is Eun-jin's concern for her sister that gives the film its heart. At her instigation she has to act out a different lifestyle, softening her looks with make-up, which involves a dating agency, courting a man, entering into marriage, setting up home and eventually trying for a child. Having chivalrously - and unnecessarily - come to Eun-jin's aid during a street fight, Kang Su-Il is quickly selected as a prospective groom, being gullible and desperate for a mate. Proposing to the female gang leader with tender words from The Bridges Of Madison County, after the marriage he soon realises that he is only allowed to touch her with permission, that a Yakuza-type tattoo covers her back and his initial advances can be rejected with a kick to the groin. But once the need is felt to get herself pregnant then the process is reversed and, in scenes satirical of the usual meek role allotted to wives in Eastern cinema, she forces herself upon him at regular intervals. Much is very amusing parody, whether it the sight of such a independent, strong woman learning how to flirt and tease and even suck cock, (moments anticipatory of those in Golden Chicken aka: Gam Gai, 2002), or just sitting demurely, cold eyed with fury during the traditional romantic introductions. The excellently staged wedding scene, set in a chapel stocked with nightclub girls, gangsters and a punch up in a balloon-filled balcony, is a highlight. Eun-jin's henchmen make awkward witnesses to the happy event, but they are persuaded to follow through this, and her other increasingly bizarre lifestyle choices, by a fierce loyalty to their leader. Her most likely suitor it appears worships her from afar after she brought him out of a coma, but is too intimidated by the debt to act upon his admiration.

Eun-Kyung Shin gives her difficult role suitable presence, and one is almost convinced of the punishment that her slender figure can give out to those who transgress against her. As the unlucky husband, Sang-Myeon Park is also good as a man who gradually gains his self esteem and pride, although his transformation to avenger and then leather-clad hero at the end of the film is less persuading. A similar transformation overtakes Shitboy who, with new hairstyle and cool dress sense, promptly steps into the shoes of the absent Romeo to introduce the new bumpkin to the gang. And, having been relieved of her responsibilities and promises by the death of her sister, for Eun-jin it's business as normal. But perhaps that is the point: in a film that plays with sexual roles and stereotypes, the changes and reversals we see in characters are often ludicrous, pointing up social and cinematic stereotypes in a broad but effective fashion. It's worth seeking out, although more accomplished; less formulaic comedies are now emerging from Korea on DVD - for example Barking Dogs Don't Bite (aka: Flandersui gae, 2000) and Attack The Gas Station (aka: Juyuso seubgyuksageun, 1999).

'My Wife Is A Gangster' opens with a bang as our heroine takes on a horde of bad guys in a frenetically paced and highly competent kung fu fight that you would assume sets the pace for the entirety of the flick. Unfortunately though, this glimpse of exceptional choreography is in the minority and the film soon strays from the implied action-fest into a mix of comedy and drama. This cacophony of styles is probably what makes 'My Wife Is A Gangster' so frustrating as every time it seems poised to push it up a notch you are confronted by a change of genres which just leaves the viewer confused and unfulfilled. It's a bold decision to attempt to include so many different styles and we know that if done correctly it can create a masterpiece but sadly, for 'My Wife Is A Gangster' it only results in a film that shows hints of magic but doesn't really excel in any particular area.

This is not to say that this film is completely devoid of merit as there are still several reasons to recommend it. Firstly, the acting from everyone is nothing short of superb with a particularly impressive performance from leading lady Shin Eun Kyung. The part of Mantis would have been a difficult role for an accomplished actress let alone a relative newcomer such as Kyung but she pulls off each aspect of her character to perfection and even manages to demonstrate a competent ability in the action department. Comedy is also high on the agenda for this film and, even though it's not laugh-a-minute material, it does enough to keep the film flowing. However, as is common when foreign films, I would assume that some of the jokes are lost in the translation or predominantly based on aspects of Korean culture. Last but by no means least, you have the action which is perhaps the most wasted opportunity of the entire film. What little we see is expertly crafted and brings back memories of what Hong Kong used to do so well (and will hopefully do again) but it's just such a shame that there is so little of it! Still, its good while it lasts and well worth taking note of as those responsible will surely utilise their skills in future projects.

Overall, 'My Wife Is A Gangster' is a fun film that is highly watchable and another example of why Korea is churning out the most exciting cinema of the moment. It's just a shame that this example is not quite as good as the sum of it's parts and disappoints in far too many aspects for it ever to rise above the three star mark. Still, a brave attempt but hopefully lessons have been learned.

REVIEW:
Can a man who is a failure at romance find happiness with a woman who is a vicious gang boss? This is the comically framed premise of My Wife is a Gangster, a Korean action film with endless, genre-bending potential that partially delivers the goods.

Cha Eun-Jin, AKA Mantis is a gang leader who is more than capable of proving herself in a fight. But, her criminal lifestyle has left her a little rough around the edges when it comes to romance. This presents a problem when a long lost sister surfaces with a terminal illness and urges Eur-Jin to find a husband. Out of respect, Eur-Jin goes about it the only way she knows how, by having her men to find her a suitable suitor. A chance encounter with Kang Soo-Il, a lovelorn man who tries vainly to defend her from thugs results in a hasty and somewhat violent wedding. Soo-Il's enthusiasm turns to dread as he finds her refusing sex, offending guests, and doing nothing around the house. Eur-Jin makes a vow to her dying sister to have a child and begins an emotionless series of rigid sexual encounters with her bewildered husband. As the pair's marriage deteriorates, a conflict with a rival gang escalates when one of Eur-Jin's men is killed. A brutal fight ensues which puts Eur-Jin in the hospital. Having recently learned of his wife's profession, Soo-Il pays a visit to the rival gang.

The premise really is terrific and the two leads play their parts well. Shin Eun-Kyung has the butch, tough girl shtick mastered and its evidenced best in a scene where she makes an attempt to doll herself up in a red dress and make-up which looks so intentionally artificial that you can't wait to see her get back into a formless suit. Park Sang-Myun is the perfect counter to her character. He's insecure, emotional, and seemingly of weak stature. No couple could possibly appear more incompatible and this creates much of the fun in seeing them make an attempt. This is where the bulk of the humor and drama takes place, but several of the supporting characters add substance to the gangster's lives as well. But, having watched the outtakes and deleted footage on the DVD, its clear that the emotional content in the story was dumbed down after it's conception and this is a shame. The film's greatest flaw surfaces near the end as the couple's relationship loses immediacy to the climatic gang battle. Having the husband join the gang war in defense of his wife is fine, but it seems more like an exercise. As a postscript, the pair are shown fighting side-by-side, thus declaring their union, I suppose. But the ending feels hollow, much like the Hollywood formula of cheerfully tying up loose ends to have audiences leave the theater smiling. A carefully constructed tension between the couple was simply tossed away as was my interest in the characters.

Although the plot and characters take center stage for the majority of the film, the action scenes are plentiful enough and receive competent direction. Comparisons can be made to Princess Blade (2002) which was choreographed by Donnie Yen. In fact, a lot of the scenes seem to take inspiration from Yen's previous films with rapid editing and limited use of wires. There is a hip, rough-edged veneer on the direction that lends itself well to this film without being clichéd. None of the lead actors are martial artists and the use of wires and doubles is a given. Some of the scenes look less convincing than others. Yet, Eun-Kyung performs a lot of her own stunts and does so admirably. With her strong, onscreen charisma she could develop into a action heroine not unlike Bridget Lin if given more opportunities.

My Wife is Gangster is a fine film that offers solid action and a better than average story with a great concept. But, I still can't help but lament the fact that the filmmakers failed to fully capitalize on this by not keeping the film's focus on the couple.

A stunningly brutal and beautiful brawl in the rain launches My Wife as a Gangster and is a great example of the movie as a whole: stylish, brutal, and comedic in a twisted way. Eun-Jin (Eun-Kyung Shin) is one of the highest ranking officials in a Korean mafia family. Deadly, calculating, and merciless, Eun-Jin is the clichéd mafia boss in every way except one: she’s a woman, at least by definition. Still, Eun-Jin is far more manly and threatening than just about every male I know. So when her dying sister, Choe Eun-Ju, says that all she wants to see before her death is to see Eun-Jin married, Eun-Jin has a rather difficult time meeting that wish. Her journey to finding a husband is filled with some really effective humor and character development for Eun-Jin and those around her. Her close subordinate, Romeo (Ahn Jae-mo), has his professionally feminine girlfriend attempt a complete transformation upon Eun-Jin. This, of course, fails miserably, but also leads to one of the film’s most amusing scenes. Finally, Eun-Jin finds a willing-enough man in Kang Su-Il (Park Sang-myeon). Before their first date, a sequence filled with some really effective gags, is over, Eun-Jin has beaten off many attackers and engaged herself to Kang. It’s all portrayed in a completely crazy way that keeps a smile plastered on your face. As their marital relationship begins, it’s clear that Eun-Jin isn’t about to let their relationship be any more than an obligatory title until her sister’s inevitable death. Kang Su-il is completely ignorant to Eun-Jin’s motivations, and as such he continues to try and fulfill his role as her husband and his own physical needs. He’s so pitiful that I often stopped myself in the middle of laughter when I realized exactly how terrible all of this is for him. Whenever he even tries to make a sexual pass at his wife, she sends him flying across the room. It’s rather depressing. In the film’s last act, things seem to change drastically. Humor is almost all gone, and is replaced with some real tragedy and graphic violence. It’s more emotionally effective than usual, and that is most likely due to the fact that all of these horrendous things happen to those that we grew to know through light-hearted humor, and until things go awry, you fully expect the film to continue in it’s light-hearted pace. Don’t be fooled.

Cho Jin-Kyu does a respectable job with his first major film. While the film is visually bland and unspectacular for at least half of the time, the other half is filled with gorgeous cinematography, brilliant camera framing/movement, or interesting choices on Jin-Kyu’s part. Not all of his attempts work, but for the most part his forays into a grander directorial style succeed quite well. He obviously has a clear understanding of the characters. In a way, by putting visuals in the back seat at times, he puts more weight on his talented actors. This trust and focus does make for stronger characters and a tighter relationship in regard to the audience for them. All in all, it’s a more than noteworthy debut for a director with some very blatant potential.

The cast here is very strong and, along with the action sequences, make up for many of the film’s faults. Eun-Kyung Shin does a great job as the hard-hearted protagonist. When Eun-Jin isn’t pulverizing her opponents, Shin still injects so much intensity to the role that you fully expect a violent explosion at any time. Had the character been portrayed simply as written, we would have little care or concern over what befalls her. However, Shin’s multi-layered, restrained performance allows her to grow in the hearts of the viewer. Park Sang-myeon also brings huge amounts of depth and innocence to his character, and because of this he is the most humorous, and pitiful, character. The rest of the cast all turn in average to good performances, but all of them make more of their characters than the script gives them.

The biggest problem with My Wife is a Gangster is it’s lack of focus: seemingly unimportant characters/situations are explored heavily; the entire feel of the movie sometimes shifts from scene to scene. Suddenly moving from humor and ultra-cool violence to weakly written melodrama isn’t the best tactic to making a great film. Visually, the fights are great, but sometimes they just feel excessive and pointless. Also, strangely enough, the film probably could have benefited from more action, as it is violence that seems to make Eun-Jin who she is. Still, it’s a very enjoyable and entertaining movie. It’s often hyped up as the best, or at least very close to the best, of the best in Korean films. While this is a bit of an exaggeration, anyone looking for great action, complex characters, and some side-splitting humor will be more than satisfied with My Wife is a Gangster.

Director Jo Jin-Gyu really should have called this film "Gangsta Bitch" and resurrected Apache's one-hit-wonder of the same name (by the way, Apache was a half black/half indian rap artist that didn't quite make it back in the 90's...). I'm sure Apache could have used the money. Besides, it sure beats the hell out of that awful Korean-rap song they used. For some of the things that happen in the film, Apache's lyrics, "I wanna gangsta boogie with my gangsta bitch", are too appropriate for this film to be ignored. Oh well, there's always the Hollywood remake or re-release, if one is planned. Not that I'm up for soundtrack changes, but, you get my point. Anyways, enough about theme song talk...

The basic premise of this film goes like this...

Cha (Eun-Kyung Shin), a female head-gangster, has a close sister who is dying slowly of cancer. She has one last wish before she goes bye-bye: She wants to see Cha get married AND have a family. Cha, faithful to her sister's last wish, goes on to make her wish come true - no questions asked.

Sound cool? I didn't think so either. But it ends up being pretty damn interesting in the long run.

Eun-Kyung Shin (who also played the desperate hero in"Ring Virus") is outstanding as the no-nonsense female head-gangster. I 'm not familiar with a whole lot of Korean actresses (yet), but I'd still bet money that none of them could have pulled it off better than she did. What I like about her the most, is the fact that she doesn't overdo or overact herself when dramatic or rage-filled reactions are called for. Instead, she keeps calm and gets her point out with her cool-cat reactions rather than flippin' out Al Pacino-style. Her looks are obviously nothing she relies on. Not that she's ugly, she's just not particularly "pretty". She's average, practical, and her overall presence does the job making her a beautiful person, as opposed to looking beautiful (if that makes any sense).

Most of the supporting cast hold the movie just as strong as Eun-Kyung Shin. The only real problem I had was with the husband (played by Park Sang-Myeon?). I'm not sure if it was him, or how he was presented, but you can pretty much say that he was more of an end-crust in the pizza, than an actual slice. His role should have been a bit more important, especially since he's the main reference to the title of the film. He had a significant share of screen time, but there was something unintentionally mysterious about him that leaves the audience barely convinced about his part. We could have used a bit more background - Why was he single at such an old age? What led him to marry Cha in such strange circumstances? Maybe it would have been more appropriate to have him tell the story by first-person narration. Like I said earlier, "Gangsta Bitch" would be a more fitting title because of this small flaw concerning the husband.

Overall, "My Wife Is A Gangster" delivers the goods. It's filled with enjoyable sequences that range from well-choreographed martial arts action, to some clever comedy tidbits that will leave yourself saying "holy shit" in hysteria mode. Much of the comedy is sexual... one of the film's great moments come when Cha is getting lessons on how to turn her husband on. Since she's highly clueless in practically everything but her mob lifestyle, she LITERALLY follows directions given to her which result in some pretty wet and wild situations. Don't let these Korean filmmakers fool ya - these horny little bastards got the balls to do some pretty freaky stuff.

Pretty good movie, pretty stupid title. Check it out.