Miss Granny review [LKFF 2015]: “A surprisingly successful effort.”

Miss Granny review: Like Mal Soon herself, the blood running through the veins is more youthful than what’s on the outside.

Body swap comedies seem to write themselves, don’t they? A person switches bodies or ends up younger/older than they truly are and hilarity is bound to ensue. This is certainly true of genre classics such as Big and Freaky Friday, but what many recent films in this bizarrely popular sub-genre have failed to address is the dramatic impact of such an event. Miss Granny, under the direction of Hwang Dong Hyuk, attempts to mix both elements at their absolute broadest and gives us a surprisingly successful effort.

The set-up is very simple, Oh Mal Soon (Na Moon Hee) is an elderly lady with a penchant for speaking her mind and causing trouble. Hwang, having directed two previous films looking at the family unit, takes his time with the scene setting prologue. Mal Soon is lovable in her rather obnoxious way, but we are still shown the consequences of her actions. She causes great stress towards her daughter-in-law, spoils her grandson, and is even in conflict with a woman who frequents the coffee shop in which she works. We’re even given darker details of Mal Soon’s past as it becomes apparent she may have ruined the lives of a family that took her in once she stole their secret recipe for fish. She’s by no means an angel, and this allows for the transformation to be filled with a greater sense of pathos. Perhaps she is better starting her life anew? It’s something that the film isn’t scared to explore.

After discovering Forever Young Portrait Studio, Mal Soon decides to get her picture taken before she loses any more of her looks, and once the photographer declares he “can take 50 years off” her, it is obviously meant literally. Mal Soon is then played by the incredibly talented Shim Eun Kyung, who amazed in the dramatic horror Hansel & Gretel, and here shows off her perfect comedic timing. Taking on the pseudonym Oh Doo Ri – a playful twist on Audrey after Audrey Hepburn – Mal Soon re-examines her life and takes on new experiences. The film succeeds due to Shim’s ability to capture many of her predecessor’s quirks and mannerisms. She also makes it perfectly believable that she is really a 74 year-old in both her movements and speech.

Despite the comedy hitting hard and its powerful dramatic moments, it does feel as though Miss Granny tries to do too much, resulting in the serious twists being met with nervous laughter. This is understandable as it tries to get you to cry and laugh in quick succession, but the two never truly blend. It should also be noted that much of the humour will merely confuse many Western viewers, as much of it derives from a parody performance of how elderly women are seen in South Korea. Many may be disturbed by Mal Soon’s talk of creamy breast milk and playfully pretending to eat a young boy’s penis. The latter is similar to the familiar ‘got your nose’, but for many it will be decidedly creepy and an unforgettable talking point.

A bit lengthy, but never dull, Miss Granny may not offer anything new to the straight forward formula, but it does try to tackle every issue you can think of. It avoids jokes that have been worn out by previous films and also contains two sweet love stories that do leave the film open as to how it will all pan out. Explaining the change back to her original age is a controlled choice, as well as showing that there are plusses to both age and youth; this isn’t merely a ‘be happy with who you are’ tale. Like Mal Soon herself, the blood running through the veins is more youthful than what’s on the outside.

Miss Granny review by Luke Ryan Baldock, January, 2014.

Miss Granny screens at the London Korean Film Festival on 3rd November.