Movie Review: Misbehavior 2017 Veers From Plot Cliches; Lighting, Camera Angles Do The Trick

A teacher (Hyo-Joo ) falls for a dance student, the student ( Jae-ha ) succumbs to the teacher and a teaching novice ( Hae-young ) goes head over heels with the dance student, thus, a love triangle is well sketched. It presents an additional archive in the K-drama roster of movie- drama storylines that have been treated so strongly in the Korean pop culture.

The recent showing of" Misbehavior" proves that this genre is not outdated and can draw a box office win when handled by a good director and script writer. Such is the case of the film that premiered in the movie theaters last January 5th, 2017.

An emotional catch

Emotions can draw the absurd when personal statuses are low. A teacher has lost her bid to a promotion that is seen so bearing for a beautiful teacher newbie. To add to the depressed standing, her boyfriend is not fit enough to hold on to.

She has a  contractual teaching post. Likewise. Hyo-Joo needed a full-time assignment when the contract expires. She owns the dismay when the rookie catches her most coveted post.

Adding insult to the injury is her shifting to a homeroom adviser that no one in her batch wanted.  Hae-young (Yu In-Young) daughter of the school board chairman appears and takes a tenured teaching post which Hyo-Joo has been eyeing for.

Conflict kicks in

The kick in the conflict issues when  Hae-young (Yu In-Young) and Teacher Hyo-Joo (Kim Ha-neural) have to seize attention from a dashing student and dancer Jae-ha (Lee Won-Geun). It is apparent though that he has been smitten by  Hyo-Joo more than the new teacher according to  Drama Beans 

What transpires in between sequences landed into this scene- Hae-young and Jae-ha manifesting in a locked embrace. It enhances the twists that will draw revenge in whatever form it maybe.

The teasers show dramatic views that will confirm how much conflict the scene between the Jae-ha and   Hae-young builds up into a plausible climax. Hyo-Joo has somehow secured her affection for the student by saying to Hae-young matter of factly that the school is not the other teacher's playground.

At this point, a strong arm is on the run. What is the fear all about? The shame that the school will know she has an involvement with the dance student is inevitable.

How strong could this threat be when both are in the same predicament? Strongly, she composed the student to a state where he gets lost to the point of getting drunk. The scene stretches into another sequence. This time, however, the mentor rivals are on the school grounds. Hyo-Joo kneels in front of a standing Hae-young. As the camera spins. the other instructor picks her up and they embrace.

A light from the latter character's eyes brightens up. What could this act bring into the conflict that has just evolved?

The technical perspective versus plot cliches

This type of May-December affair movie especially when it concerns teacher and student relationships can shift into a serious topic for discussion. It can sometimes run into a cliche treatment while under review. The film, however, grants the premise a ride into a larger approach to a character study.

Rather than fixing the student within the adult flare with emotions, the storyline side tracks. The use of camera angles and lighting succeeds at this point.

See that in his scenes with both teachers, the lights register a dim setting. In fact, all the gym scenes are never fully lighted ( a show of innocence is not presumptuous at this point?).

There is one gym scene when a fully lighted close-up profile was lighted with an imposing black backdrop. Then too, Hyo-Joo scenes had extensive use of pan and moving shots, at times long and distant ranges (to mean inner or psychological struggle ?).

This is not an understatement since she is portrayed as low in esteem and has always thought of Hae-young as the privileged.

The movie in review went through a series of titles before it assumed the now showing Misbehavior.Per ForumsSoompi, it had an initial  "Female Teacher" when casting was in the can.

 By mid-2015, it assumed a movie label "School Mistress" as a working title. As the shooting progressed, it finally settled for the title " Misbehavior".

The film is at the helm of the now famous director (Director Kim Tae Yong) of 2010: "Frozen Land" and last year's 63rd Cannes festival invitation entry "Set me Free". 

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