`Actresses` gets by on high-profile cast

"The Actresses" is a small-budget film that has a highly predictable storyline. Much of the dialogue contains outdated cliches and empty flourishes befitting the meaningless talk on a cheap soap opera of an unpopular television network.

None of this matters. After all, the movie is not about conventional filmmaking techniques but about the unprecedented feat of director E J-yong who has somehow persuaded six prominent actresses to sign on for the project.

The six cast members - Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Mi-suk, Ko Hyun-jung, Choi Ji-woo, Kim Min-hee and Kim Ok-vin - play themselves in the film, pretending to squeeze a Vogue magazine photo shoot on Christmas Eve into their busy schedules.

The underlying conflict centers on the self-respect and self-doubt of the actresses themselves. Youn, a veteran actress, is mindful about the possibility that she might not have been the preferred choice for the photo shoot.

Lee Mi-suk, who wants to hide her emotional vulnerability about her divorce, is yet to find a new identity as a famous actress in Korea - a status that she complains involves too many restrictions and prejudices.



Ko, one of the most hotly sought-after actresses in recent months, has a complex about the size of her face. She also reveals her hostility, though half-jokingly and half-playfully, toward her supposed rival, Choi, who shows up for the photo shoot venue with a Japanese massage therapist and some ardent Ji-woo "Hime" fans from Japan.

Kim Min-hee, a model-turned-actress, and Kim Ok-vin, the heroine of Park Chan-wook`s "Thirst," are younger than the other cast members, but are not without their concerns and doubts.

The photoshoot goes through a slight hitch when pricey accessories fail to come to the photo studio in time, leaving plenty of time for the six actresses to drink together and talk about themselves in a way that discloses their feelings about the challenges facing Korean actresses.

But the real strength of the film lies in the entertaining interaction between the six actresses. A host of punchy and humorous one-liners save the film`s otherwise monotonous structure.

E, who built his fame with "Untold Scandal," did not plan the movie down to fine details. Instead, he left open the possibility of improvisation and on-the-spot changes, perhaps recognizing the talent of the six high-profile actresses. His decision seems to have worked.

The actresses often pitch in with improvised lines that highlight their true feelings. For instance, Youn`s satirical and self-deprecating tone hit it big when she says she`s "guarding the traditional market," referring to Choi`s dominance in the Japanese market and Song Hye-gyo`s popularity in the Chinese market.

Although there might be some complaints or grumbles about why and how the six "represent" Korean cinema and television, it remains true that getting them together for the same project, whether it`s a film or a photo shoot, is no small task, and it is also undeniable that there are plenty of viewers willing to watch the film only because they want to see all six on the same to see.

"The Actresses" became the third of E`s films invited to the Berlin International Film Festival`s Panorama section.

The movie will hit the local theaters Dec. 10.

(insight@heraldm.com)



By Yang Sung-jin