From the director of 'Memories of Murder', 'Mother' continues to an extent that film's theme of bungled justice. This time the accused, a young man with special needs, has his mother to fight his cause. But 'Mother' treads the tightrope between righteously defending the accused and allowing motherly feelings to overwhelm a sense of justice. All of the central performances are excellent, but special mention must go to 'Mother' herself. Kim Hye-ja creates a believable portrait of a woman who lives equally between hope and denial. 'Mother' hurls its characters towards its shattering conclusion and in doing so leaves the viewer with a complex array of feelings towards its main character. Another excellent example of Korean film.