Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar personifies sorrow in the film ``The Air I Breathe" by n-KoreaAmerican director Jieho Lee. In his feature film debut, Lee explores ``huinoaerak,'' or basic human emotions such as happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. / Courtesy of Showtime


By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Cinema has seen its fair share of omnibus films about crisscrossing human relationships, but Jieho Lee's ``The Air I Breathe'' takes your breath away. It fathoms human nature and the six degrees of separation, but also offers thrills, chills and fine acting through a star-studded cast. Art film falls in love with Hollywood: what more can you ask for?

Lee shows that a script by an anonymous newcomer, if gripping, can make it big in Hollywood. The Korean-American filmmaker makes his feature film debut with Forest Whitaker, Kevin Bacon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brendan Fraser and even Andy Garcia, who is known for working only with veteran directors. Even Julie Delpy makes a brief appearance.

Inspired by the Korean proverb ``huinoaerak,'' expressed in Chinese characters, the film explores four emotional cornerstones through four characters that personify them: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. As the director said in his own words, ``Air'' unravels like a noir ``Wizard of Oz'' as four individuals embark on a journey of self-discovery.

A fund manager (Whitaker) hears about a fabricated horseracing gamble that will ensure a win. Sick of his monotonous life, he gives it a shot. But things go awry and he ends up owing money ― or his fingers ― to a gangster appropriately called ``Fingers'' (Garcia). Carpe diem, he seems to say, and decides to rob a bank. In the process, he experiences the unexpected ― happiness.

Pleasure is depicted through a hit man (Fraser) working for Fingers. He has never lost a fight because he can see the future. But it's far from being a blessing: unable to change the results, he is a powerless spectator of what's coming. One day, he meets a young woman (Gellar), and his inability to see her future breaks his apathy.

Fingers decides to cash in on the success of a pop star (Gellar) as her new manager. (As an added bonus you get to see the charismatic actor groove to bubbly pop music.) Thrown into a world of coercive violence, the singer discovers comfort ― and painstaking sorrow ― in a helpful hit man.

A doctor (Bacon) has always been in love with Gina (Delpy). One day, Gina is rushed into the emergency room and only a blood transfusion within 24 hours can save her. But it is almost impossible to find a donor with Gina's rare blood type. However, a pop princess might be able to save the love of his life.

Actual people Lee met while working in Korea inspired this original script. As one story feeds into the next, ``Air'' maps out the spring, summer, fall and winter of the human soul. The emotions are like ``three primary colors, red, blue and yellow. From those three colors you can make all sorts of colors,'' the director recently told reporters in Seoul.

In addition to reaching artistic goals of reflecting on the human condition, he also ingeniously orchestrates pulsating excitement, keeping you on the edge of your seat to the final second.

This ``hardboiled'' allegory is like an ancient Greek myth told in modern parlance, where gangsters reign instead of the gods. The story's universal appeal is by far its biggest selling point, particularly as charismatic actors give their finest performances.

Garcia pulls off yet another mobster, one that is reprehensible, yet very human. Gellar is absolutely stunning as a soulful young woman, and the other actors work their magic. The stars do not outshine one another but join forces altogether to create one brilliant big bang.

In theaters April 9.

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr