Os Sovinas (2011)

Penny Pinching Romance isn't a perfect movie but it was a very enjoyable one. The synopsis here really doesn't tell you much or very clearly. Hong Sil is a woman whose past clearly navigates her present life. Unlike the synopsis suggests, she doesn't have any goal in life other than to collect money. She is calculated and methodical in collecting it and frugal in the extreme once procured. What she intends to do with it once she has it, even she doesn't know. Enter Ji Woong (Song Joong Ki) in whom Hong Sil sees purely an opportunity to make money faster. Of course, when you hook yourself up with a bit a scoundrel things don't always go according to plan.

This movie has a nice solid plot and story trajectory all the way through. It's real charm for me lay in all the atypical things about it. It is not standard rom/com fare. There is a serious and slightly gray quality to it that I actually found refreshing. This gray cast was in the set direction and writing but it was more to shape their circumstances. Let me assure you this is not a darkly written movie in a dramatic or depressing sense.

There were lots of moments I laughed out loud. Especially at some of the antics of Ji Woong. The scenes between Hong Sil and Ji Woong aren't overly cutesy but they are interesting and they make a great team as, unbeknownst to both of them, their feelings start to grow. Both actors sold their characters for me. Their chemistry together was good. The payoff at the end for both characters was worth 2 hours of my time.

Song Joong Ki is a 'characters' actor. Even if he has the looks to play a leading man, I hope he chooses wisely in the future because he's better playing a part with quirks and charisma. He has excellent comedic timing and a face made for acting through expression.

Han Ye Seul sells serious characters to me more than comedy so this part was perfect for her. I felt her emotion and I connected with the reasons why she was cut off emotionally and relied so completely on monetary security rather than the human kind.

I liked this movie. I would re-watch it again and I recommend watching if you are hesitating.

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