A still image from “Dirty Money,” provided by Acemaker Movieworks, shows Myung-deuk, played by Jung Woo. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — In “Dirty Money,” bad men abound, ranging from bad to worse to downright despicable.
In this murky world, audiences might find themselves rooting for the less-bad characters — those whose morally wrong actions seem driven by somewhat understandable reasons.
The crime thriller follows two corrupt detectives, Myung-deuk (Jung Woo) and Dong-hyuk (Kim Dae-myung), who routinely accept kickbacks from a Chinese organized crime syndicate laundering dirty money in South Korea.
One day, they receive a tip that the gang is smuggling hundreds of millions of dollars back to mainland China. Myung-deuk, desperate to cover his young daughter’s surgery, convinces reluctant Dong-hyuk, who also is mired in gambling debt, to join his scheme to intercept the money. Soon a fellow officer, equally hungry for cash, joins their plan.
The trio justifys their actions by declaring it “dirty money,” reassuring themselves that once it is in their possession, no one can legitimately track it down, let alone claim it.
“Dirty money is the safest money,” declares Myung-deuk.
Easier said than done, things quickly spiral out of control. While carrying out their not-so-well-thought-out plan, the third officer is shot dead. During the unforeseen shootout, they unknowingly kill an undercover detective. Despite being in panic over the unexpected bloodshed, they manage to get their hands on the stacks of cash.
That is just the beginning. They find themselves pulled deeper into an increasingly ironic and inescapable situation as their own unit is assigned to investigate the very crime they committed.
Detective Seung-chan (Park Byeong-eun), who shares a tense and uncomfortable history with Myung-deuk, soon enters the picture. With relentless determination and sharp wit, Seung-chan begins closing in on Myung-deuk, suspecting him more and more as the investigation progresses.
The movie takes viewers on a tension-filled, pulse-pounding ride, all while making them root for the cops-turned-criminals. That is largely thanks to the brilliant performances of the two lead actors: Jung-woo convincingly portrays Myung-deuk, making audiences almost believe that stealing “dirty” money is justified when it is for saving a chronically ill child. Kim Dae-myung brings equal depth to his portrayal of the hesitant and fearful Dong-hyuk, who shows his warmhearted side by sharing part of the kickbacks to support Myung-deuk, a single father for whom he feels a brotherly affection.
The characters’ ultimate fates may polarize audiences. However, from an entertainment perspective, and considering the general tendency to sympathize with relatable villains, the ending could resonate with viewers.
Park Byeong-eun’s character, despite a surprising twist, lacks sufficient narrative and backstory to fully realize his potential, ultimately falling short of a truly standout performance in the film.
The film marks the feature debut of director Kim Min-soo, who co-wrote the screenplay for the 2017 crime thriller “The Merciless” and the 2022 political drama film “Kingmaker.” Although filming was completed in 2019, the film’s release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been invited to screen at the Busan International Film Festival, the Sitges Film Festival in Spain and the Hawaii International Film Festival.
“Dirty Money” hits local theaters Thursday.
(Yonhap)
