Hear Me (2024)

Missed Potential: Sisterhood Shines, but the Romance Misses the Mark

This film attempts to be a feel-good story, but its execution falters with a poorly crafted romance that’s hard to buy into. The male lead's story leans heavily on a problematic trope: he sees a girl, falls in love, & exhibits stalker-like tendencies, forcing his way into her life albeit with good intentions. For instance, after meeting her and getting her number, he bombards her with messages the very same day, impatiently demanding a response—an unsettling and off-putting trait that makes his character difficult to root for. Such glorified "stalker-ish" behavior feels outdated and uncomfortable, leaving the romance mismatched and unconvincing. The lack of depth in the male lead’s character arc—why he lacks motivation, for instance—only adds to the disconnection.

On the other hand, the dynamic between the sisters is the true heart of the film. Their bond is heartwarming and engaging, showcasing their emotional range and potential for a much stronger narrative. Unfortunately, many of their scenes are cut short to make room for the romance, which feels unnecessary and detracts from the story's overall impact. A sismance-focused plot would have elevated this film to something truly special.

From an acting perspective, the performances were excellent. The main actors, including the male lead, did a commendable job with the material they were given. However, the script failed to explore the male lead’s arc in any meaningful way, which was a missed opportunity.

Rewatch value is low for me. There are far better stories that address themes of disability and emotional growth with greater authenticity and depth. While the sisterly bond adds charm and engagement, the overall experience left me underwhelmed.

Overall: 6/10

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Feel-good romance lacks distinctive voice and a real heart

I don't have much to say about this film except that it's cute, adorable and wholesome. Conversations are mostly backed up with whimsical music. I don't have a problem with this as the dialogues felt authentic and genuine at first. However, by the time we arrived in the second half the story became dragged and lacked the specifities I was hoping for.

The shots and cinematography could have been more creative to make it memorable. The story does not try to be groundbreaking either. This is just supposed to be a feel-good movie although I would have loved if there were more touching moments to evoke emotions considering the story revolves around deaf people.

The story starts with Yong Jun unsure of what he wants to do in life. He's surrounded with philosophy books but he doesn't know what job to apply for. By the time we get to the end, nothing has changed. He's the main character but we didn't get to know much about his thoughts and background except that he instantly fell for Yeo Reum when he saw her in the swimming pool. This is the moment where the puppy love story starts to unfold. The film also noticeably shifts it focus to Yeo Reum's point of view after this part. More or less, Yeo Reum is a more developed character than Yong Jun. We digged into Yeo Reum's background and personality but only to a certain extent and here is where my main issue lies. Her character lacks a distinctive voice and is not fleshed out as I want her to be.

The storyline is fairly simple and is quite the epitome of young love. Although, one would really expect that the film could have had more earnest and compelling scenes just to fully give us that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

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