Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Samaritan Girl (2004)
Director: Kim Ki-Duk
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
This ludicrous melodrama contrives to sanitise, glamorise and deplore teenage prostitution, all at the same time. Schoolgirl Jae-Young (Seo) hooks for pocket money, apparently identifying with the legendary Indian prostitute Vasumitra, whose clients became devout Buddhists. During a police raid, she suicidally jumps from the third storey of a cheap motel. After her death, disapproving classmate Yeo-Jin (Kwak) starts having sex with Jae-Young's clients and returning their money. Many are conscience stricken and mend their ways. But Yeo-Jin's father (Lee), a widower cop, gets the wrong end of the stick and starts hunting down the men - eventually killing one of them in rage. The actual paedophile sex is kept offscreen, but Kim's enraptured gaze at the two naked girls washing each other in a public bath is as prurient as they come. The whole film would be offensive if it made any sense. It won Kim his first 'Best Director' prize, in Berlin.Author: TR
Cast & crew
Director: Kim Ki-Duk
Producer: Bae Jeong-Min, Kim Dong-Joo, Kim Yoon-Ho
Cast: Lee Uhl, Kwak Ji-Min, Seo Min-Jung full cast
Duration: 95 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations












What do you think?
Post your review now