The fantasy of being able to have the body you once had is impossible in real life, but we can watch it play out in fiction. While previous depictions of this idea rightfully point out ageism and how much worse people treat the old, Miss Granny also celebrates the wisdom and experience that could only come from the years Oh Mal-soon has gone through, through an engaging script and the quirky performance of Shim Eun-kyung. It’s so funny seeing people taken aback, surprised, and astounded by old Oh Mal-soon in her young body, but what makes it work is the way director Hwang Dong-hyuk introduces her to us bit by bit, crafting a character that at first glance seemed to be a rude and controlling grandma, but is actually a woman that didn’t get to enjoy her youth due to the sacrifices she made for her loved ones. Miss Granny makes the case that there are timeless things that we can return to and appreciate, but there are also things that we’re willing to let go of our youth for.
Synopsis
An unappreciated old granny magically turns 20 years old again and decides to make the most of her newfound youth.
Storyline
After being told that she’ll be sent to a nursing home, 74-year-old widow Oh Mal-soon decides to take her last self-portrait at a mysterious photo studio, but with the click of the shutter, she finds that her body transformed to what it was at the age of 20.
TLDR
That being said, the film didn’t need to diss screamo as a genre.
What stands out
Yeah, okay, there are jokes that make the film seem like it aged badly, like the milk scene, but given that it’s probably the same cruel remarks she probably received as a single mother, it makes sense.
