IMDb #247 Review: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring (2003)

Source: Wikipedia

At an idyllic lake temple, through a gate illustrated with flexing buff dudes, there lives a kindly old Buddhist monk and his young ward. This little bald kid is the WORST STUDENT EVER.

We follow their relationship through five seasons, spanning decades. Sadness ensues.

Spring. The problems start when the bored kid tortures animals for fun. The wise old man's karmic punishments do little to disinfect a rotten heart.

Summer. Years later, Korea's dumbest mother brings her ill daughter to stay at the temple for "spiritual renewal." Her teenage daughter, with a celibate monk and an adolescent male, living in a remote area and sleeping in the same. This goes about as well as you'd expect. At least the monk remains honorable.

When the time arrives for the girl to return to the world of blue jeans and shopping malls, the boy follows the booty. To the surprise of no one, least of all his guardian.

Autumn. The prodigal finally returns--older, cockier, shittier. As a twitchy fugitive from justice, he seeks refuge, and willingly receives the monk's punishment. Then the cops show up. The monk proves a generous host, to the astonished delight of all. (Except the cat, whose tail makes a poor calligraphy brush.) Delayed but not deterred, tragedy strikes.

Winter...I can't spoil. Just know it offers a ray of hope--then snuffs it out and drowns it in ice water.

As for the next spring? I don't have the words or the heart to find them.

I don't understand Korea's vendetta against happiness. Maybe it's meant to reflect nature. The setting's staggering beauty brings out nuanced portraits of the small cast and shines a favorable light on an existence dedicated to humble piety. But, for all the simple beauty, expect a heaping helping of nature's brutal cruelty as well.