Fly, Daddy, Fly (2006)

Having seen most of Lee Jun Ki's work, I have to say that this is just as top notch as the rest of his work. Yes, I am a fan. Me, this old lady whose never been anywhere. Yet, he is, by far one of the most professional and intense actors I've ever watched. One day, when Hallyu is far far bigger than the cynical likes of Hollywood, people will look back and give prestigious awards out to those actors who have made the most far reaching contributions to the business in Korea and Lee Jun Ki will be one of the first to be recognized. His work isn't encapsulated into one particular genre, thus making him a power house of diverse and genuine emotional responses in his actor's range that any can relate to. I am thinking Al Pacino right now. Give the Al Pacino award to this dude. He's hot and he's real.

Now to "Fly, Daddy, Fly." Look at this formula. A high school student who comes from the wrong side of the tracks becomes a mentor to a 40 something salary man who has obviously lived longer, has more experience, more wisdom and more maturity under his belt, yet you have Lee Jun Ki being perfectly believable as a young man whose been knocked around so much that he can offer something more to the mature and devoted father. He actually pulls it off as a mentor to the old guy. He, a snot nosed teenager with a checkered past, can teach the dad something about being prepared to deal with the harsh realities in life that always sneak up when you are not prepared to cope with them.

The film becomes a tribute to the benefits of healthy male bonding. Whereas the old fart gets his fighting weight and strength back, the young man finally gets a father figure who cares about whether he is okay or not. Obviously that was something lacking in the character of Lee Jun Ki and the longing was subtly underplayed, not showcased in a sob story that pierced my heart all the more with it's "it is what it is" factor. The laughs are fabulous, inspiring and perfectly placed through out the movie. This is a solid 9.

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