3-Iron

Tae-suk, the hero of Ki-duk Kim's remarkable film "3-Iron" has a strange air of quiet, contemplative contentment. A beautiful young man with a shiny new motorcycle, he does not participate in the ordinary hustle and bustle of contemporary life. Instead, he methodically goes from door to door of stranger's homes, putting flyers in the keyholes, and then, later, breaks into the homes where the flyer has not been removed. He exists peacefully in the shadow of other people's lives, cooking himself simple meals, taking long baths, and watching television. He sleeps soundly in the master bedroom.

Tae-suk is not a thief. Quite the opposite, while residing in these temporarily vacated homes, he does the tenant's laundry and he repairs broken items: a scale, a toy gun, a clock. Always a prankster, he leaves a small detail to make his presence known. He is also takes a self portrait in each home. This way of life seems to work well for the silent hero, but becomes complicated when he encounters an abused married woman Sun-hwa (Seung-yeon Lee) in a luxurious house he had broken into. She follows him through her own home for an extended period of time. The two enter a wordless game, slowly acknowledging each other's existence, recognizing their emotional connection. Without a doubt, the two are kindred spirits.

Sun-hwa is clearly in need of healing, and Tae-Suk is a fine caretaker. He dresses his prodigy in innocent, child -like pink. He cuts her hair, and prepares her food. But before long, we discover that Tae-suk is not nearly the carefree man he first appeared to be. His attachment to a 3-Iron golf club he removes from Sun-hwa's home is a clear indicator. First he uses this club to smash tennis balls into the sunken chest of his lover's detested husband. Later, he rigs a golf ball to a wire, and hits the ball round and around a tree. Never before has the golf stroke revealed itself to be an act of unadulterated hate and violence.

The most amazing aspect of Ki-duk Kim's film is that neither of the stars talk. They fall in together, fall in love wordlessly, and it absolutely works. Never does this unusual plot device ring false-- perhaps because other characters do, in fact, converse: the true inhabitants of the apartments and houses that are broken into, the police who are called in to investigate. Tae-Kuk and Sun-hwa's faces are so expressive, their gestures perfect, their performance so flawless that the absence of talk almost seems to prove the richness of their love. When Sun-hwa finally speaks, her words do not disappoint. "3-Iron" mesmerizes.