Our Sunhi (2013, dir. Hong Sang-Soo) ***.5/****

The second film I saw at TIFF was Hong Sang-Soo's "Our Sunhi".  It was delightful and funny with vivid characterizations, expert direction, and a great screenplay.
    Sunhi (Jeong Yo-mi) of the title is a former film student who comes back to campus to acquire a letter of recommendation from one of her professors.  She wants to get into school in the United States.  Over the course of the story, she meets up with a former boyfriend and another older male friend from her past (both filmmakers).  What Sunhi doesn't realize is that all three of these very different characters love her and desire to be with her in their own specific ways.
   An admirable quality of this film is the unique camera set-ups and the long takes where the actors are allowed to act before the camera and engage in interesting, often amusing conversations.   A majority of the film takes place in restaurants, bars, and cafes where alcohol-fueled, engaging and deep conversations take place.  There are common motifs in the dialogue and actions that bring a nice symmetry to the story.   One common, repeated conversation element is the idea of "digging deep" into herself to find out her strengths and plunder the resources.  This is repeated to comic effect by all three characters in various conversations with Sunhi.
    The recommendation letter that Sunhi receives from her professor and mentor reveals aspects of her character to herself that she is not all that comfortable with.  By describing her as somewhat reserved and afraid to express her ideas effectively, Sunhi is given a self-portrait that is a little disconcerting.  She asks for a second letter which the professor is happy to rewrite.
   You get the impression that the direction of the story is very meticulous and precise.  It is a small social circle that Sang-Soo is dealing with but he does so in a very effective, effortless manner.  The film seems to end rather abruptly but still it is an appropriate ending and the movie is enjoyable and refreshing compared to most run-of-the-mill Hollywood fare.  It is a film that is rewarding and worth watching.