Expecting a cheery coming of age tale? Well, so was I. That isn't what this film is. At all. Period. It's grueling and sad and tells the tale of an unfair ruling on 4 boys caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. I won't get into much more detail than that, but I think it's necessary to warn unassuming viewers who go into it with the wrong mindset. This is no comedy.

The story itself is well paced and explores the human instinct to survive, however necessary. To protect one's innocence, however necessary. What is morally right and wrong? Do you pursue the truth, even when it may lead to the worst outcome for yourself? Or do you abandon your pride for freedom? Lots of thought-provoking themes are found throughout the film, and for that alone I give the story a strong 9 out of 10.

Acting and cast were also a strong point in this film. All of the leads surprised me with their powerful performances, especially that of Ji Soo. In many ways he was the one who carried this film.

Will I re-watch this film? Probably not. Not because it wasn't a great film, simply because it's draining to sit through. Flipping from present to past throughout the course of the movie, you get a glimpse of the misfortune they will face from the very first scene... and it grows in intensity until the end. There is no chance to catch your breath because things go down hill and down hill fast.

Overall, I do recommend this film. It was excellently made. But I caution you to go into it only with the intention that it's going to be an emotional ride...

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Some films are made to entertain and some are made to educate and inform. There is a reason "A Taxi Driver" has become the 15th film in Korean history to surpass the ten million ticket milestone. The story it shares with audiences is one surrounding a dark period of unrest  in South Korean history.

"A Taxi Driver" gives us a glimpse into the true horrors surrounding the 1980 Gwangju Massacre. Fired upon and beaten, some 600 people were killed in an unprecedented attack by the Chun Doo-hwan government. Civilians who rallied to build a democracy for their country were falsely labeled by authorities as "communist sympathizers and rioters," all in an effort to cover up and hide a gruesome truth. This event went on to spark a decade of revolution in South Korea, and eventually led to a transition from military rule to democracy.

The film follows taxi driver Kim Sa-Bok as he transports foreign reporter Hinzpeter into Gwangju. There goal is to unveil the truth to an ignorant world, and their journey is extraordinary.

If you are curious about this film, please watch. It is a story that deserves your attention and recognition. I find it hard to express it's importance in word and can't recommend it enough.

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