#Coffee noir black brown korean movie driver

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Director Jang has come a long way from the lo-fi teen comedy Neverdie Butterfly and builds on the more polished forbidden romance Kissing Cousin, from which he carries over several cast members.Īnchoring what is a uniformly strong cast, Jo exudes confidence and intelligence as Ju-won, a character whose background is slightly obfuscated but whose willpower and competence propel the story forward. Largely shot in a spacious, multi-floor cafe with warm but muted tones, Coffee Noir: Black Brown is an elegant production throughout, despite its low budget. Entertaining and relevant, he has his cake and eats it too, at least until we dive into a bleaker second half that doesn’t give its protagonists an easy out as they are forced to confront the reality of their situation. But a direct approach isn’t always the most effective route and director Jang wrings buckets of wry commentary out of his fantastical concept. Korean filmmakers, particularly in the indie scene, tend to have a lot to say and the further we move away from the darker times of the republic, the more direct they have become in their depictions of what they see as the ills running through society. Despite the prying eyes of local inspectors and pressure from a decaf monopoly, she keeps the shop open: teashop by day, java speakeasy by night. This delightful and odd prohibition drama is grounded by Jo Soo-hyang, whose performance remains unwavering, even when some of the story threads around her don’t quite mesh.Ĭoffeshop manager Ju-won runs a tight ship and is revered by her staff but their lives are about to change as a new law coming into effect which will outlaw coffee in Korea. Korean indie Coffee Noir: Black Brown, the third film from emerging talent Jang Hyun-sang, which premiered last month in competition at Bucheon, delivers on all three counts. An intriguing concept can be enough to pull you into a film but what keeps you there is a sense of purpose and steadfast execution.

Coffee noir black brown korean movie