THE WAY HOME (2002). A low budget tale of a terrifying little brat sent to live temporarily with his ancient grandmother in the country while his single mother looks for work in Seoul. Hollywood would turn a movie like this into pure sap, but director Lee Jeong-hyang doesn't offer any easy solutions to the ever growing disconnection of modernized, urban Korean young people from their traditional ancestry. The film often feels like some big catharsis is just around the corner, but wisely never delivers one. The boy changes a bit by the time his mother returns, but he only, suddenly, becomes aware of it when it's too late. And thankfully, NO ONE DIES in this movie, which is usually the case with dramas dealing with the elderly. Definitely leaves you thinking about things, though.

Paramount has released this on DVD in North America.

I was watching t.v. one afternoon and there was absolutely nothing on worth watching. I have the Sundance channel and I always turn my t.v. to that channel when nothing else is on. Anyway on this particular day this movie just happened to be on. I fell in love with it right from the start!!!! The simple beauty of Korea caught my eye first. Then as I watched the movie a little bit more I became more enthralled with the characters of the movie. The Grandmother who never even talked in the movie reminded me that love can be shown in other ways than just saying it out loud. Her Grandson takes me back to my childhood when visiting relatives was "boring" and not really where I wanted to be for summer vacation. It is a great family movie and I can't wait for my twin sister to watch this with me. This movie is subtitled of course and I know that subtitles are hard for some people to take the effort to watch (like my boyfriend, I think it is just laziness on his part)But this movie is worth every subtitled read, so please don't miss this wonderfully touching movie that the whole family can enjoy!!!

"The Way Home" is a simple Korean fable with a simple moral which is so well intentioned that to criticize it would seem irreverent. Nonetheless, the film is too simple for a 90 minute run unless you have time for the modicum of entertainment it provides and a moral which trite at best. A pleasing watch for those peaceful souls who have the patience and time for a simple story about the conversion of a very annoying selfish kid to a loving and caring child by a grotesquely aged granny who shows him the kind of patience required to watch a movie about the conversion of a very annoying selfish kid to a loving and caring child...etc. (C+)