The Handmaiden

The new film from acclaimed director, Park Chan-wook is an Asian adaptation of "Fingersmith, a novel by Sarah Waters originally set in a Victorian era. The setting is now Korea under a Japanese Colonial rule. The film is in both Japanese and Korean with subtitles.  Do not let the subtitles bother you, this film is not to be missed and best seen on a large screen.

This is an erotically charged psychological thriller played out in three chapters telling the same tale from different angles, each revealing twists and turns you never see coming.

It is stunningly beautiful in it's visuals, from the cinematography to the costume design, to the actors themselves. The plot, on the surface is a simple con game filled with humor, intrigue, sex, and a dash of perversity. With each subsequent chapter, layers are peeled back and the story becomes deeper and richer with explosive revelations.

This is a film that will reward the viewer in many ways, directed by a master filmmaker, who holds an audience in his grasp with every frame. Enraptured by it's intricacies,  I may have forgotten to breathe until it was over.