Review | Honest Candidate film review: limp South Korean political satire sees Ra Mi-ran play a habitual liar cursed to tell the truth
- Given South Korea’s history of political corruption and the prevalence of fake news, this could have been a biting satire, but settles for being bland
- The result is a timid, and not very funny, film about a woman politician who occasionally says offensive things
2.5/5 stars
With fake news more prevalent than ever, and world leaders repeatedly exposed for lying to the public, Chang You-jeong’s Honest Candidate might seem the perfect tonic to restore our faith. Unfortunately, this comedy, about a female politician magically cursed to always tell the truth, lacks satirical bite.
Adapted from a 2014 Brazilian film of the same name, Honest Candidate stars Ra Mi-ran as three-term congresswoman Joo Sang-sook, who has built her career on false promises and insincere statements. To curry favour with the electorate she went so far as claim, falsely, that her grandmother, Ok-hee (Na Moon-hee), had died, so must now keep her hidden away.
But Ok-hee tires of her enforced exile, and prays for her granddaughter to stop lying. The next morning, her wish is granted, and Sang-sook discovers, days before the next election, that she is compelled to speak the truth whatever the consequences.
Writer-director Chang has Sang-sook explore all number of religious solutions to her predicament, but for the most part keeps the tone light and the comedy disappointingly broad, avoiding anything that might be perceived as remotely controversial.
Rather than use this as an opportunity to expose the inherent corruption of politics, Sang-sook adopts a brash, masculine demeanour, and goes toe-to-toe with her political rivals. She speaks her mind about her overbearing mother-in-law, and discusses her indigestion problems live on television.
This crass, unfiltered version of Sang-sook falls suggests that, given the choice, women are no better than the rude, chauvinistic men who surround them.
Inevitably, Sang-sook wins over her voter base and learns important life lessons about honesty and selflessness, but throughout, the film feels like a missed opportunity. What could have been the perfect platform to articulate legitimate concerns about those in public office ends up a watered down, not very funny comedy about a woman who occasionally says offensive things.
