Possible Love (15)

Two couples from contrasting social classes brush up against each other in Lee Chang-dong’s exquisite relationship drama.

Thou shalt not covet. Whether it’s thy neighbour’s house or thy neighbour’s wife, but it’s hard to not believe the grass is greener when your own garden lies withered. For Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon) and her husband Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu) the past few years have been difficult; his job loss has led him to becoming reliant on alcohol, leaving Mi-ok to care for their 10-year-old son.

Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong) seems to have an idyllic life by comparison. She’s married to the handsome businessman Sang-wook (Zo In-sung) who comes from family money. The two women meet after Ho-seok causes a scene at a colleague’s funeral. Ye-ji appears well-meaning enough, sincerely interested in Mi-ok’s life, but it’s apparent from their first exchange that the two come from different worlds. Through tipsy confessions and wistful recollections Lee carefully unpacks the contrasting marriages, masterfully observant and tender in his approach.

In some ways, it is a fascinating companion piece to Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice (minus the violence), dealing with similar subject matter in a completely different way.