Broker (2022): Finding a family on the road
2022 • Hirokazu Kore-eda • 1.85:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Broker tells the story of two men who secretly remove abandoned babies from a church’s baby box system and try to find adoptive parents outside of official channels. Their routine is thrown into disarray when the mother of one of the children unexpectedly returns and decides to accompany them, while detectives start to track their movements.
This humanistic road movie explores highly taboo and illegal subject matter without passing judgment, instead depicting the formation of a found family, with the South Korean coastline and rural landscapes providing the backdrop. Shot in soft, natural morning light and gentle pastel hues, the entire journey evokes the bittersweet feeling of a summer holiday.
It’s a social drama with understated humour in the vein of Kore-eda’s other films, focusing on an unconventional family to explore morally complex situations through empathy and ambiguity. This cathartic road trip is a touching film about healing old wounds, led by an empathetic performance from Song Kang-ho.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: A group of strangers becomes entangled around a baby left at a “baby box,” forming an improvised family unit as they travel together to find a suitable home for the child while confronting their own moral and emotional wounds.
- Actors: Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, IU, Lee Joo-young, Lim Seung-soo, Park Ji-yong, Kim Sun-young, Lee Mu-saeng.
- Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Year: 2022
- Cinematographer: Hong Kyung-pyo
- Origin: Korean Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Genre: Drama
