Director: Hong Sang-soo
Writer: Hong Sang-soo
Stars: Yunhee Cho, Kwon Hae-hyo, and Isabelle Huppert
Released Date: November 22, 2024
In a day and age where it is far from uncommon for directors to spend multiple years on a single film, Hong Sang-soo is an anomaly of sorts: a South Korean director who is not only highly prolific but also consistently so. By 2024, he has already directed 30 full-length movies, and six of those films were made within the last three years alone. This year, he has announced the premiere of not just one but two of his films for the viewers. The first, A Traveler’s Needs, is a drama movie that was selected for the highly competitive Berlinale 2021, and mind-blowingly, it is screened at the 2024 San Diego Asian Film Festival.
The Story
The plot of A Traveler’s Needs is based on the main character, Iris – a French woman living in Seoul, who is portrayed by the renowned actress Isabelle Huppert. Iris is employed as a professional French and English teacher, though the lessons she gives are far from conventional. They are very intimate and unconventional; with their help, she and her students are able to express themselves not only in terms of grammar or words, but also as people—what it means for others to be heard and to be able to understand.
It can therefore be said that what makes Hong Sang-soo’s movies special is the level of creative freedom he enjoys. This is particularly the case in his work of A Traveler’s Needs, which was not just director, but also the scriptwriter, film washer, producer, conductor, and the camera operator. What this means is that each and every scene is his signature and vision. As in his more recent productions, this movie compares to being more of a realistic drama, on the slower side. He saves nothing that flashy graphics and fast-paced background score are necessary to attract more customers. However, in every piece of dialogue that is captured, there is a space for emotions and ideas to naturally build, much like how it happens in reality.
If you expected another highly charged and fast-paced animated movie like Kung Fu Panda or How to Train Your Dragon, this will be quite disappointing. But it’s not! Hong Sang-soo’s films are more like a poetic expression of cinema. Sherman captures the fleeting aspects of life with utmost truthfulness and manages to evoke strong emotions.
His attitude has been compared to Yasujiro Ozu, one of the most important directors in the history of cinema, famous for his observation of the beauty in everyday life.
Of course, such a film requires brilliant actors to make its plot come alive, and the cast of the film is simply splendid. Iris, played by Isabelle Huppert, seems like a real person because the actress successfully infused playfulness and charm into the character. As for the show, Lee Hye-young and Cho Yun-hee successfully portray themselves in an almost documentary-like manner that is both inspiring and convincing. The supporting cast also gives good performances with Kwon Hae-hyo who is featured less in this movie but offers a memorable performance and more of his ability is seen in the movie By the Stream by Hong Sangsoo in 2024.
It would be therefore significant to argue that the actual appeal of the story is in the overall experience which the author claims A Traveler’s Needs is that it feels so genuine and purposeful. It is a theme that focuses on the role of humankind in the world, which is a general theme that many can easily identify with. From that feeling of not being where you wish to be in life to not being able to say the things that you would like to say during a passionate moment, this film portrays these feelings very well.
Hong Sang-soo confirms that you don’t need to have an action-packed film with bright stunts and special effects to make the audience sit with their eyes glued to the screen. However, he makes do with the powerful speech and emotionally driven narrative to engage the viewers. This is an aspect that most directors fail to master in their productions, especially in modern films, but Hopper finds a perfect way of providing ample time to all dialogues.
Conclusion
In A Traveler’s Needs, Hong Sang-soo once again proves that he is one of the most fascinating directors today. The movie is simple in its form, and it is a beautiful capture of human existence in its crudest and purest state. The fact that the people, who shared these stories, are ordinary folks is also quite significant as it teaches that at times, simplicity may bring immense strength.
Many current filmmakers could use Hong Sang-soo’s approach – his passion for making films, the trust in words, and the effort to convey the poetry of the everyday.
In conclusion, A Traveler’s Needs is a superb piece of art that sets itself out of the typical Hollywood practice and delivers a wise sentiment that is rare in today’s cinematography.
A Traveler’s Needs 2024 Parents Guide & Age Rating
Language: The film contains conversations in multiple languages (French, English, Korean). There may be some mild or emotionally charged language, but nothing explicit is highlighted in the review.
Violence: No mentions of violence or conflict in the plot summary.
Sexual Content: No indications of sexual themes or explicit content.
Substance Use: No references to alcohol, drugs, or smoking.
Overall: Likely suitable for teens and above, especially those comfortable with slower-paced, dialogue-driven films. No overtly inappropriate content, but the reflective and subtle storytelling might be more appealing to mature audiences.
