"Poetry"

If you are a cinephile -- appreciate the artistry and perfection of a well made, exquisitely acted, beautifully photographed film, then you will find "Poetry" a superb experience.  South Korean Writer/Director Chang-dong Lee has expertly crafted 129 minutes of heart wrenching drama/tragedy.  The heroine "Mija" is played by Jeong-hie Yun, a woman in her mid-sixties who is raising her grandson, a rather obnoxious teen-ager. In some lighting, Yun's beauty radiates, in other scenes, she looks old and tired.  She finds out that her grandson and four other boys in his school have repeatedly raped a girl in their class, who has committed suicide. Employed as a caretaker/maid for a nearly helpless man, I could barely watch "Mija's" scenes with him. This is not a pleasant film. I had to admire the the character Yun plays, and her determination to do the right thing.  I cannot give it the Four Stars it deserves from a technical standpoint because I found it quite sad, and it left me depressed. A far cry from the joy of watching "Midnight in Paris."  Of course, portraying gritty reality can hardly be expected to be lots of laughs.   Sorry,  THREE STARS