Customer Reviews

Tell Me Something

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

TELL ME SOMETHING is one pleasant surprise. It's plot is tight, it's pacing is solid, and it's surprises are frightening.

Lieutenant Cho's back is against the wall. Brought up on charges of police corruption, he's a heartbeat away from losing his career. However, a series of brutal murders -- linked by the fact that the arms, legs, and heads are interchanged on the bodies of the victims -- pulls him away from the charges as he's placed in charge of the investigation. As it turns out, all of the victims are former lovers of a reclusive artist, Suyeon Chae, and now Cho must face the secrets of her past to unravel the mystery of the present ... and, possibly, her future.

Drenched in an atmosphere of the best film noir, TELL ME SOMETHING is a superb 'whodunnit' that keeps the viewer guessing up until the very end. A cerebral combination of the police procedural and noir's best elements, the film presents a roller coaster full of suspects with an equal number of motives.

However, it isn't until the very last scene of the film that the true killer is revealed ... a clever twist that haunts the viewer to a repeat viewing for all the clues that were missed along the way.

Extraordinarily edited and wraught with suspense, TELL ME SOMETHING is not for the soft-stomached. The film boasts a fair share of blood and flesh scenes, shockingly simple in their construction but packing one terrific wallop visually. The performances, especially of the two leads (Han Suk-gyu as Cho and Shim Eun-ha as Chae), are dead on ... no pun intended. That's not to say that the film is perfect; there are a few clues that probably would've been handled differently, and one situation regarding a youthful neighbor of the disturbed Chae is a bit hard to swallow. However, the drawbacks are minor, and they do little to diminish the utter sense of dread and failure overwhelming Lieutenant Cho is the film's ultimate climax.

Watch it with the lights on. It's well worth it.

I watched this movie with my sisters late at night. Just as Basic Instinct was about three flawed characters (a psychiatrist, a cop, and a writer), Tell Me Something is about a cop, a physician, and an artist (also a museum curator) who are intricately linked through the gruesome murders and the dark past of the artist. Some complained that the plot was confusing, but the hints are sprinkled here and there to make the story coherent and compelling.

One glaring weakness is that the cop makes more procedural mistakes than a bumbling idiot. My sister kept saying that he deserved to die for his sheer incompetence and I agree. Despite the gore, the movie somehow failed to deliver the gothic, bone-chilling horror of the Silence of the Lambs. There were just too many scenes of mutilated bodies and the novelty wore off quickly after the first few minutes. The scenes just seemed artificial and obligatory.

However, I found the psychological aspect of the movie more appealing. The movie doesn't explain everything to the viewer's satisfaction, leaving us to ponder what each one's motives were and why they behaved in a certain, sometimes illogical way. I wish that the director spent extra ten minutes probing the relationship between the cop and the artist while skipping some gruesome, ineffective scenes. Overall, it was a thought-provoking movie with an interesting twist at the end.

Because once this Korean masterpiece starts you will not be able to tear yourself away from this thriller ..... Interestingly enough the film has a dubbed English track, the dubbed sound is good and the English is pefect, but, unfortunately the voices loose some of their impact and it's pretty hard to be able to duplicate the sweet lilting voices of the young female stars ....


There are of course a lot of cultural differences that will be noticable immediately between the police work of these Korean detectives and the ones that we are more accustomed to with the FBI. The two police detectives don't really believe in 'backup' and they don't even have 'walkie talkies' ... If they call in they use their cellphones ... As well, you may see a task force room set up for catching a vicious pshychotic killer, but thats about it from there on in our detectives might as well have been private eyes working on their own like 'Dirty Harry' ...


The movie is complex, violent and shocking .. great or what ..... the viewer is immediately subjected to the suspense of the story and it doesn't let up till the very last minute ... literally ...


If this movie doesn't change you perception of sweet young Oriental girls that wouldn't harm a fly ... get a copy of 'Auditon' at the same time and, trust me, you'll probably never get into an elevator alone with one of these young beauties ... LOL


The DVD quality is superb ... sound.. cinematograhy all fabulous and first class .... definitely a keeper DVD ... Oh yes ...

A man enters a door in a darkened hall; moments later, we get to watch every gruesome detail of his half-conscious dissection. As the story progresses, dismembered bodies keep turning up everywhere: a basketball court, an abandoned area, a crowded elevator--although none of the body parts found together match each other. The victims, all male, share only one thing: a previous relationship with a beautiful, mysterious woman named Su-Yeon Chae.

For all but the final five to 10 minutes of this film, "Tell Me Something" matches its American kindred spirit, the Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman thriller "Seven." It narrows down the focus by limiting the film to four major characters: Chae, two Detectives Cho and Oh, and Chae's closest current pal, Sung-Min. This allows director Chang Youn-Hyun to develop each character extremely well, and allows him enough time to grow the relationship between Cho, who is slowly falling for Chae, whom he has been assigned to watch.

"Tell Me" betters "Seven" in making the past play such an important role in the film. Each character's past, save for Detective Oh, is explored enough to set up their particular personality flaws, insecurities, and perhaps motivations. Cho starts off the film under investigation as to how he has been able to fund the care of his dying mother on his policeman's salary; the case is a tainted badge's shot at getting back its luster. Sung-Min has her own intricate past that somehow ties in to Chae. Chae's tangled web is the most important, mixing father issues, former lovers, and a penchant for dating talented, successful men, then going single again when the men become too aggressive. Each performance is top caliber.

The film's dirty, unlit urban landscape is excellently portrayed. The camera angles are cropped tightly enough to keep you paranoid and at the edge of your seat. The sound is selectively suspenseful, be it the biting music clips, or the footsteps and labored breathing of a character. Very technically sound, and on the same level as the top American efforts.

But then comes the film's final sequences. They are riveting, fast-paced and...ultimately confusing. I watched the entire film three times in a row, and the end sequences twice that; I still ended up having to go online to see if anyone, anywhere agreed with any one of the number of theories I had about the movie's ending. That didn't help. It's not so much a question of who the bad guy eventually was--that's answered in the film--but a question of who else was involved, why, since when...etc., etc. If you're easily frustrated by movies that force you to think through the plot again--be prepared to be frustrated. If you're a thinking man's movie watcher, bring some like-minded friends along, pay good attention, and try to solve the thing afterward.

It's still, I believe, a must see for all fans of a good grisly murder mystery in the "Seven" mold. A 3.5 stars would be a more appropriate rating if they had one; I'm just one of those people for whom loose ends are like a fishbone stuck in my throat. For those less bothered by that, four is all good.

i'm really glad that other people found this movie confusing at times. i was afriad i was just stupid or something. i actually watched the movie twice, trying to go back and piece things together. while i can see that there are plot twists galore everything isn't spelled out like it is in my american thillers. the end had a bit of a david lynch feel to it. it's like the audience is supposed to understand the relevance of certain things, but it's not clear how or why. i'm fairly desensitized to gore, and was impressed with with the murder special effects. the movie is well done, just a bit frustrating.

Tell Me Something gets off the starting block with a series of grizzly discoveries. Dismembered bodies are being dropped off around Seoul on a rainy night. When Detective Jo (Han Suk-kyu) and his partner Detective Oh (Jang Han-seong) are called in to handle the case, they can hardly imagine what they're stepping into. Shortly after meeting with the Medical Examiner, the detectives discover that the body parts found do not belong to one particular corpse. In short order, another round of corpses turn up (in some pretty strange places) and Detectives Jo and Ho put together a special team, on order from the police commissioner, to catch this serial killer, who's victims seem to be connected to the daughter of a famous Korean artist. Her name is Chae Su-yeon (Shim Eun-ha). Su-yeon and her roommate Seungmin (Jung-ah Yum; H, Tale of Two Sisters) are soon under the protection & watchful eye of the police, with Su-yeon being taken into protective custody when a new boyfriend is (partially) found after a night out with Su-yeon. Things get more complicated when Detective Jo finds himself developing feelings for Su-yeon. Her quiet, guarded manner forces Detective Jo to comb through her entire life, and make Su-yeon relive a past she would rather forget, to find connections with people she has known and the murders. Su-yeon soon tires of the interviewing and questioning and refuses to talk anymore. She returns to her home. The list of suspects grows... The murderer gets aggressive...

Firstly, I want to address/refute the plot hole factor. There is a fairly obvious jump that needs to be made concerning Detective Ho and an integral part of the investigation. Something that was most likely cut for continuity reasons or time constraints concerning Detective Ho making the connection between the killer and a certain apartment, is more or less overblown. By itself, it may stick out, but due to the film's complex story-line and fully realized characters it's an easy jump to make, even after a few viewings. I'll wager that it goes unnoticed, even after multiple viewings.

There's also said to be "motivation issues" with a character or two, but again, any reasonable viewer can make the connections, as they're deftly handled through a short flashback sequence near the end and an overall impressive screenplay. Besides, it's not like Tell Me Something is a docudrama. The film's revelation stands firm with what precedes it, no question in my mind. The fact that Tell Me Something can lay everything on the table and allow us to participate, makes the ending more dynamic and powerful. Yet it challenges us to choose our suspect and work it out for ourselves as we watch, speaks volumes. The obvious choice is most certainly the right one, veteran crime & mystery fans will know what's what right away. Good 'ol Occam's Razor.

Although this slow-burner (Runtime: 118 min) is essentially a movie that "tells you something" and then tries to dissuade you with oh so much powerful gore and an intense dramatic elements. It's definitely made in a Hollywood-esque way and was a smash hit for S. Korean Film in 1999. Killer cinematography adds whole new dimensions to the film; bright, airy days & damp, inky nights. Add the powerful, ethereal humming from Enya's "Boadicea" as well as tunes from Nick Cave and the bad Seeds and Placebo (who's album cover makes its way into the film), and Yoon-Hyun Chang's mysterious, murderous world comes alive. On the inside it's a gruesome, brutal crime-thriller. On the outside, it's a stylish, bizarre, almost arty film noir. A must see in any event.

this was a great movie... had me hooked from the opening scene while the tension kept building til the final conclusion of the film...i would recommend this movie to any fans of asian cinema...worth the purchase...gonaa watch it again

I don't know why but first film that comes to mind thinking of "Tell Me Something" is "Se7en". Although they have practically nothing in common except criminal plot and maybe obscure atmosphere. If to seek some other movies to compare "Tell Me Something" with I'd recall also-Korean "Face" and "Koma" from Hong-Kong. "Tell Me Something" is not a typical asian ghost story that can be expected by some viewers, it's a straightforward criminal thriller where you'll be guessing till the very last minute who kills and dismembers Seoul citizens leaving their limbs in different parts of town.

"Tell Me Something" is masterfully crafted. It keeps you on the edge of your seat for all its duration not letting go. And the usual Korean manner of letting a story flow slowly doesn't contradict the intense atmosphere of this film. This slow-paced narration co-exists peacefully with strained cop vs killer story-line, and you wonder how it's possible. But that's the way many asian movies are. Here you have all the necessary accessories of a great thriller - a hard case investigation with a dodgy killer involved, some gory details and a twist in the end that comes totally unexpected. Many times authors let us on the wrong track and it seems everything is so predictable but this feeling is deceitful - you'll be much surprised in the end. So don't trust your first impressions.

We usually don't pay much attention to music in movies, but here you definately will. It's utterly compelling, I don't remember another flick where music helps so much to create the general atmosphere. "Tell Me Something" is quite melancholic although it's a thriller, and after watching you'll keep asking yourself how the filmmakers managed to mix all these details that seemed impossible to be put together. Anyway it's a great example of asian thriller, Korean in particular. I guess you may be a little confused about it if you're not familiar with this kind of pictures, but if you are, you'll like it for sure. And certainly "Tell Me Something" will require a second run to understand everything because it's quite intricate and complex.

This is a slick and scary movie. It has a great story, beautiful cinematography, and some serious scares. It begins a bit over the top, but it soon settles into being something even more unsettling than just in your face gore. It is very worth watching and easily compares to anything that has come out of Hollywood. If you like giallo or edgy thrillers, this is a great film to check out.

`Tell Me Something', written and directed by Korean Chang Youn-Hyun filmed with Korean dialogue, with both English dubbing and subtitles, is touted as a thriller comparable to `Seven', `...only twice as creepy'. While this is a superior movie and shares several plot devices with `Seven', it is certainly not as good. And, while the talents of Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey go far to raise `Seven' above the level of the usual thriller, the difference between the two movies has much more to do with the writing than with the acting.

Both movies are driven by the acts of a serial killer with an unusual pattern, and both perps are sought by policemen with `issues'. One important difference is that while we learn the identity of the perp midway through `Seven', and catching the killer is a major element of the story, we (and the police) don't realize the identity of the perp until the very last scene, as the perp is leaving Korea, presumably leaving the reach of Korean law enforcement.

Since the drama centers on the identity of the perp, with at least two false suspects cast in front of us, we are distracted from the thinness of other parts of the story. In `Seven', one of the most interesting aspects of the plot in the early going is the perp's pattern, with special emphasis on letting the audience in on the pattern before the less classically trained cop (Brad Pitt) catches on. He only gets it when retiring Detective Freeman lets him in on the significance of the words citing one of the seven deadly sins. `Tell Me Something' is far more interested in graphic gore and violence.

This movie is pretty clever in letting out clues, the significance of which may only be evident to people with special knowledge. One clue that intrigues me is the perp's use of gloves while dissecting one of their anesthetized victims. While a cursory look may have one assume they are latex surgical gloves, they are actually cotton gloves, the kind worn by art conservators to handle very delicate materials. The clue is so subtle, I'm not sure whether it is intentional or simply a mistake by the prop crew, who failed to get real surgical gloves. In any event, it is an important clue to the identity of the real perp. Thankfully, it points to one of the red herrings as well as the real villain.

One of the weakest bases of comparison with `Seven' is that the police never really make much of the killer's pattern. The pattern does contribute to a sense of foreboding, as the pattern creates a predictor for the next victim, but the script never explains the pattern or why the perp chose it.

It's surprising that most of these excellent new Asian thrillers and horror movies owe much more to European film styles than they do to American styles, either modern or classic `film noir' style. The filming and stagecraft seem to rely heavily on French `new wave' technique. What this looses, and what the American's do so well, is humanizing the principle characters, while doing such a good job of hiding or confounding the perp's identity or motives, as in Kevin Spacy's roles in both `Seven' and `The Usual Suspects'. While much is made in the opening scenes of the personal distress of the lead police lieutenant, played by Han Suk-gyu, it has relatively little influence on the plot, unlike the home life sub-plot involving detective Brad Pitt in `Seven'.

One interesting aspect of this DVD is the fact that the dubbed and the subtitled English do not agree. In fact, it's amazing at how often they disagree. Fortunately, this is not biblical translation, so the differences are largely of importance only to people who know Korean. For myself, this is not a serious matter, since I know not one wit of Korean, so I get nothing out of watching with Korean dialogue and English subtitles. Viewing with the dubbed soundtrack on and all subtitles off is the least distracting.

Even though this may not compare favorably with the very best of American thrillers, it's still darn good suspense and, as The New York Times' review states, `...creates jolts of anxiety and pinpricks of dread.'