Punch (2011) d. Han, Lee (South Korea)
Heartwarming South Korean charmer about a poverty-level dysfunctional family comprised of a hunchback tap dancer (Su-young Park), his mentally deficient male floor partner (Yeong-jae Kim), and a sullen teen son loner (Ah In Yoo) struggling for identity. Relentlessly pushed by his brusque homeroom teacher (Yun-seok Kim) – who just happens to live across the alleyway rooftop – to live an honest, emotional and empathetic life, a sometimes dangerous proposition as Yoo is a ferocious street fighter, a talent Kim attempts to channel into a kickboxing career. Unpredictable and filled with appealing surprises that elicit gales of laughter one minute and sighs of humanity the next. A winner of the highest order.
