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The title of this film can either be positive or negative depending on the character you’re seeing the film through. For the couple who hosts the get-togethers the film revolves around another year represents another year of joy and landmark events to add to their memories. For their single middle-aged friends another year is JUST another year.

Tom (Jim Broadbent, MOULIN ROUGE) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen, ALL OR NOTHING) have been happily married for decades. They tend a small community garden together and throw little get-togethers with their friends and family. Mary (Lesley Manville, SECRETS & LIES) is Gerri’s friend from work; a desperately single woman who drinks to forget. Her life is a mess. Ken (Peter Wight, BABEL) is Tom’s friend from his youth; a desperately single man who drinks to forget. His mess of a life makes Mary’s life look stable. He’s the kind of good hearted guy who could make a woman very happy, but can never get his foot in the door because he’s fat, drunk and a slob.
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Check Out the Trailer

Director Joon-ho Bong first came to my attention, as well as to most U.S. viewers, for his eco-statement monster movie THE HOST. In certain circles it was highly praised, I found it muddled and pointlessly depressing, especially when dealing with questionable parenting. Now he deals with parenting, both questionable and dedicated, in this film, a remarkable thriller that never fails to keep surprising us up until the end.

A mother (Hye-ja Kim, LATE AUTUMN), known as nothing more than that, is very protective of her mentally challenged 20-something son Do-joon (Bin Won, TAE GUK GI: BROTHERHOOD OF WAR). Early on he gets clipped by a car because he was standing in the street. Along with his bad influence friend Jin-tae (Ku Jin, A BITTERSWEET LIFE), they head out to seek revenge. This incident leads to Do-joon being arrested, interrogated and confessing to the murder of a teenage girl.
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