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Funny & Sad

Pretty Crazy is a Korean romantic comedy movie about demonic possession, if there is such a thing in any universe, but it is quite amusing and doesn't come with the usual ejections of pea soup we have in the west. It's very clever, well-written and has a somewhat sad turn of events, but nothing that will make you want to throw anything at your screen.

The story: Jeong Seon-ji (Lim Yoona) is a baker who lives with her father and cousin, and moves in beneath Gil-goo (Ahn Bo-hyun), an unemployed man who has no skills other than winning prizes from claw machines. From the very first night Gil-goo not only falls for the lovely, gentle and quiet Seon-ji, but also witnesses her demonstrating some bizarre behavior in the middle of the night.

In short order Gil-goo discovers his crush is possessed by a demon that wakes up every night at 2 am and must be appeased or she becomes a one-demon wrecking ball. Seon-ji's dad throws out his back trying to cope, and hires Gil-goo to work in the bakery by day, and look after his daughter at night while he recovers.

The demon's demands and behavior are pretty tame by Western standards, too, but you are convinced by Lim Yoona's excellent performance that she really is possessed. For his role Ahn Bo-hyun cast aside his usual very strong and dominating portrayals; he does completely become a meek yet steadfast young man. You're convinced he's dealing with the impossible situation that presents the most unlikely and immovable romantic obstacle: a demon possessing the girl he likes. Both actors gave such great performances that I could not stop watching, particularly in regard to the physical demands of their roles (which are considerable.) The secondary cast collectively also did a wonderful job.

Is Pretty Crazy plausible? If you're Asian you'll have an easier time accepting the plot and conflict. We in the West generally left exorcism behind in the 70's. I found it a little sad, especially in regard to the resolution of the possession. People who are out of control and behaving badly are not really funny or entertaining to me, either. Yet I also liked this movie quite a bit, so there you go. Available on Viki.com.

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