Winnipeg-Set ‘The Mother and the Bear’ Combines Sentiment and Whimsy in a Tale of Middle-aged Motherhood

The new Canadian film, “The Mother and the Bear,” offers several twists on time-worn concepts such as mama bear and empty nest themes: A clingy Korean widow goes to visit her expatriate daughter and, while playing matchmaker in an unfamiliar environment, lets loose enough to explore romance herself.It also tweaks the young-adult-with-absent-parents formula: In this telling it is the mother, Sara, who is left alone because her daughter, Sumi, has been placed in a medically induced coma after a fall. As Sara awaits Sumi’s recovery, she not only meets new people and experiences a different culture but finds a new outlook on life. Written and directed by Chinese-Canadian filmmaker Johnny Ma, the movie is a charmer primarily due to its leading lady, the lovely Kim Ho-jung, and its light, humanistic touch, reminiscent of the early works of Ang Lee. The wintry setting of Winnipeg around the time of the Lunar New Year also enchants, with the heavy snowfall and frigid atmosphere a neat counterpoint to a story that we know from the start will melt our heart.With its focus on a middle-aged woman — or “ajumma” in Korean — who experiences a near tragedy, goes beyond her comfort zone, and ends up in a state of personal renewal, the story will touch anyone who has or knows of a mother or older woman who cares more for others than herself.After a title sequence that introduces the city with evocative shots and a retro tune, as David Lynch did in “Blue Velvet,” we see Sara (Ms. Kim) arrive at the airport and immediately head to the hospital driven by a family friend who also lives in Winnipeg. After Sara, who knows some English, is reassured by a doctor that Sumi (Leere Park) just needs to rest after her icy tumble, the film moves quickly onto more lighthearted matters, wisely avoiding medical drama clichés. How the mother settles into her new surroundings, including her daughter’s apartment, initiates the film’s observational humor and occasional laugh-out-loud moments.The comedy primarily derives from fish-out-of-water scenarios, though what we’re shown is not so much a culture clash as extreme weather shock and amusing unfamiliarity, such as when Sara unknowingly eats pot gummies. A vibrator, the use of which is apparently unknown to traditional Korean women, appears intermittently as a visual joke. Sara is also strangely clueless about the existence of dating apps, though once she finds out, she wastes no time in creating a profile for Sumi in the hope of finding her a potential beau while she recovers. Sara learns about mobile matchmaking from a handsome young Korean man, Min (Jonathan Kim), and later meets his dad, Sam (Won-Jae Lee), who runs a Korean restaurant. The tentative relationship that develops between Sara and Sam — whose wife has moved back to Korea because of the cold — might feel contrived, but the two actors ground it with hesitant gestures and cautious feeling.As the protagonist, Ms. Kim is the main reason the whimsical film works as well as it does. Impressively, the acclaimed Korean actress plays up comic moments for the camera while at the same time conveying complete seriousness, such as during a memorable sequence in which Sara makes a heap of kimchi in an old-fashioned bathtub.That Ms. Kim is a svelte, supple-skinned middle-aged woman also helps to advance the plot when she sends a chaste cleavage photo via the dating app. When it passes as a photo of her daughter, the character becomes aware of her still-potent beauty and sensuality.Naturally in a comedy, the mother’s catfishing for a suitor for her daughter leads to some funny situations and tricky complications. Before a third-act twist is revealed, Sara learns of her daughter’s homosexuality from her girlfriend, Amaya (Amara Pedroso).Set in a typical bar as Sara and Amaya hang out, the scene is not the typical glum coming-out admission. Instead, Mr. Ma uses karaoke text on screen and fantastical elements to turn the moment into one of celebration, even though Sumi is still in a coma. The director is also sensitive to what a relatively conservative parent might feel once the realization sinks in, following up this scene with a touching one back at the hospital. The film loses a bit of pep in its final section, such as during a scene with a bear that comes off as too digital and symbolic. In the end, though, its core themes remain relevant: how to be a good parent without being overbearing, and how tradition can be integrated into modern times.Mr. Ma doesn’t give Sara the happy ending we might expect but he does give her a sense of self. One could even say that her encounter with the West has increased her individuality and enabled her to have a second chance at life. Regardless of one’s interpretation, “The Mother and the Bear” honors mothers everywhere with humanity, levity, and deep admiration.

Winnipeg-Set ‘The Mother and the Bear’ Combines Sentiment and Whimsy in a Tale of Middle-aged Motherhood

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