3-Iron (2005)

3 Stars (out of 4)

Pictures of Me

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Kim Ki-duk's weird quasi-crime film features a burglar (Jae Hee) who breaks into people's houses by placing Chinese take-out menus on their doors to determine whether or not they're home. Once inside, he bathes, has a snack, takes a few pictures, fixes any broken household objects, does some wash, has a nap and leaves. In one house, he stumbles upon an unexpected guest, the shy wife (Lee Seung-Yeon) of an abusive husband. He takes her along for a few adventures. but he never speaks a word. And her lines can be counted on one hand. They communicate silently, through their eyes and through routine gestures like playing golf or serving lunch. The film eventually takes a turn into spectral storytelling so bizarre that it becomes the only way to really end the story. Kim frames each scene with curiosity and patience and earns kudos for finding a nearly silent, almost entirely visual, way to tell this peculiar story, but 3-Iron certainly won't appeal to everybody.