I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK. (2006)

For anyone who is familiar with Park Chan-wook’s filmography, I’m sure that upon hearing his name, your mind conjures up dark and twisted plots with fucked up imagery and a side of sexual tension. Who could fault even the lesser seasoned Chan-wook fans? That’s kind of his Modus Operandi.

With his masterpieces like each part of the “Vengeance” trilogy, “The Handmaiden” and even his lesser films like “Stoker”, the last thing I would expect to come from him is a heart-filled dark comedy about a woman in a mental hospital. Yet here we are!

“I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK.” is a hilarious and surprisingly touching film about a woman who is having a mental breakdown. I know that synopsis in itself is not side-splitting, but you have to trust me on this one.

In a style that I can only describe as “Tim Burton meets Jean-Pierre Jeunet”, Park delivers a refreshingly light and bright film, thus creating a juxtaposition to the dark and bleak nature of his oeuvre.

With lovable characters created by the entire cast, most notably Lim Too-jung as Young-goon and Rain as Il-sun, each of the hospitals patients has a multi-dimensional character with their own discernible traits.

I love it when director’s break from their mold to try something new. This film is no exception. I had a smile on my face through most of the films run-time. It is so lovely and silly.

My Rating: 800,000,000/1,000,000,000 Volts