FILM REVIEW: 'Love Forecast' is Clear Skies and all Sun
Romantic comedies are predictable affairs with lovers and everything in between, but they don't have to be. 'Love Forecast' is filled with heart, lovely performances from its stars and smart dialogue that fleshes out its central storyline. It may be predictable, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the ride. 'Love Forecast' was marketed as a love story about Jun-Su (played by Seung-gi Lee) in the friendzone, pining after his longtime best friend Hyun-woo (played by Chae-won Moon), but there is more to the story than that.
Had Jun-Su spent his entire life hellbent on getting this one girl, I would have written off 'Love Forecast' then and there, but the funny thing about life is that it goes on. Just because the leads end up together in the end doesn't mean that Jun-su can't date other girls beforehand, or that Hyun-woo has to wait for her true love to finally come along. These are two thirty-somethings who are going to fall in love no matter what, but director Jin-pyo Park makes sure the journey is as interesting, if not more compelling than the endgame.
It's disappointing that 'Love Forecast's' marketing team felt the need to pigeonhole the production with the slogan "FRIEND ZONED FOR 18 YEARS... CAN'T WE JUST START DATING?!" The friend zone has little to do with the characters not falling in love earlier, and that has to do with timing. Nevertheless, screenwriters Lee Byeong-heon and Park Jin-pyo inject hilarious dialogue within their wider narrative, supplying us with interesting secondary characters with stories of their own.
The final product provides an equal balance of romance, comedy and a story that doesn't become boring at any moment. The central focus falls on our two lovers for a lot of the runtime and can be seen to drag on, but the final act comes together in one of the best conclusions to a romantic comedy I've ever seen. Korean film and Korean drama have a habit of using past events as symbolic importance for the future, and 'Love Forecast's' manages this with swift confidence in its characters and its story.
Ultimately, 'Love Forecast' has exceptional heart, story and rom-com elements that make for a lovely film, and if you're a fan of love or comedy or both, you're guaranteed a treat.
Playback Rating: WATCH IT/ DON'T WATCH IT/ WATCH IT AGAIN
4/5.
