The Couchpotatoes 7,6 ratings. Really? I read all the reviews and I wonder what I missed? It must be in the second half of the movie than because in the first half of the movie there was nothing to see besides unnecessary cursing, unnecessary cheap violence, pretty bad acting, and a story that is going nowhere and that is beyond boring. Since I have the honor to be the first one to write a bad review I wonder if I have no taste at all and all the others have good taste, or is it me that has good taste and all the other reviewers are just wrong. I will never know the answer and I honestly don't care. I watched seventy minutes of Breathless, had to fight not to fall asleep, and I couldn't bring myself up to suffer another hour. So I just gave up watching this and did something useful instead of further wasting my time with this movie.

Leofwine_draca BREATHLESS, a 2008 film from South Korean detailing the misadventures of a small-time debt collector and the relationships he strives to pursue, is a hard-hitting slice of social drama that takes casual violence to whole new level. It's clearly a heartfelt project from Ik-Joon Yang, who wrote and directed as well as taking the starring role. Yang is excellent in all three capacities.With a constantly profane script, a gritty level of realism throughout, and an entire lack of sentimentality, BREATHLESS is a thoroughly engaging piece of realist cinema. It has a cinema verite look about it, taking place on mean and run-down streets, and if some viewers find it depressing then that's because it strives to reflect real life rather than movie fantasy.Violence - in the form of beatings and slappings - comes thick and fast and there's so much of it that the viewer soon becomes as desensitised as the central characters, so that the latest punishment almost becomes expected. Yet the quality characterisations and the intermingling of lots of different characters' lives is handled expertly so that this is never less than riveting. It's a strong film indeed, one that's tough to watch at times, but once which explores the depths of the human condition that most movies dare not tread.

thisissubtitledmovies Breathless is a bleak, relentless and emotionally raw movie from South Korea. An uncompromising look at the violent underbelly of a section of poverty ridden urban South Korea, Breathless is the directorial debut of lead man and scriptwriter Yang Ik-joon, and has rightly been bestowed with a healthy array of awards.As the films pace allows layers to build and relationship dynamics to be understood and interwoven, nausea and discomfort evolves into empathy and worry, characters you are sure are irredeemable surprise you. The shaky documentary style photography adds to the grittiness and rawness. Breathless is stark, dark and uncompromising. Well directed and with expertly judged emotional performances, this film has dared to expose the terrible unbreakable cycle of violence in an apparently progressive and evolved society. JM

sharkies69 Out of the ten or so films I have seen so far at this years Sydney Film Festival this one effected me the most. I shed a few tears by the films end and was thinking about it for days afterward.It's a heck of a debut from Yang Ik Joon who wrote, directed, produced and takes the lead role as well.Joon plays a small time hood/debt collector who doesn't mess about with customers who owe money. No one is safe it seems from his fists or his foul mouth, not even his nephew. A chance meeting with a high school student results in an unlikely friendship. We learn more about both characters as the film builds momentum. Suffice to say that their main link is both being exposed to domestic violence.Joon fleshes out the story and gives all characters a chance to shine. The acting is first rate as is the screenplay which apparently is autobiographical.Anyone easily upset by violence or profanity would be well advised to give this one a miss.I hope it finds an audience and gets a wide release. I certainly look forward to more films in the future from this exciting young director/writer/actor.