If I could give this film 10 +, I would. It is not a film for everyone. If you crave action, dislike character driven films of depth, and prefer overt over subtle, it definitely is not for you.

Yoon Jung-Hee plays Mija, a widow in her sixties, who is raising her teenage grandson in an unnamed city somewhere between Seoul and Busan (that was my impression). If you've read the summary, you know some of the facts that surround Mija's world. But not all. When we first meet Mija, there is something a bit vain and flighty about her, though always interesting. As the film progresses, watching this woman's character grow and unfold in her own way like the flowers she so adores, makes for riveting viewing. In fact, we start to see the poetry in Mija in the same way her teacher directs them to see the apple, to see the world.

The lack of soundtrack adds to the film because the ambient sounds such as the rustle of the wind through the trees, the birds chirping, the river running, become music that surpasses any soundtrack in this particular film (though I was forced to give the "music" a rating-and this is what I meant).

I wish I could say more but it is hard to do so without spoiling, so I just recommend it so very highly. This will stay with me for days and I could definitely see myself re-watching it in a couple years or sooner.

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