Beasts Clawing at Straws is so fun to watch. Most crime thriller fans would find the MacGuffin money, the dubious characters, and the nonlinear timeline familiar, but the way Kim Yong-hoon depicts the 2011 Japanese novel is pretty stylish and engaging. It takes a while to set up, though. As the film steadily introduces new plot threads, the first half can feel a bit confusing. However, by the midpoint, these threads all weave into a series of comedic pay-offs, bringing those who yearn for the cash to unexpectedly satisfying ends. While a bit uneven, Beasts Clawing at Straws is entertaining from start to finish.
Synopsis
A struggling restaurant owner, caring for his sick mom, finds a bag of cash in a sauna locker, while a customs officer gets into trouble when his girlfriend runs off with money he borrowed from a loan shark.
Storyline
While working as a cleaner in a sauna, Joong-man finds a huge bag of money in one of the lockers, which he could use to help care for his ailing mother. Unbeknownst to him, however, the bag was made in payment for something else. Customs officer Tae-young hopes to be freed from his debt to crime lord Mr. Park through a scam in his department, while Mi-ran, an escort, hopes to escape her abusive husband when one of her clients offers to kill him for a cut of his life insurance policy.
TLDR
It’s insane how this is Kim Yong-hoon’s feature debut.
What stands out
The whole ensemble delivered great performances, but I really enjoyed watching Jeon Do-yeon and Shin Hyun-bin.
