Today’s quick review: Memoir of a Murderer. Once a serial killer who targeted the wicked, Kim Byung-su (Sol Kyung-gu) is now an old man living with his daughter Eun-hee (Kim Seol-hyun) and struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. After a chance encounter with Min Tae-ju (Kim Nam-gil), a serial killer operating in the area, Kim marshals his fading strength and what is left of his memory to take Min down and protect his daughter.
Memoir of a Murderer is a Korean crime thriller about an ex-serial killer suffering from dementia. With his mind failing him, Kim Byung-su struggles to hang on to his relationship with his daughter and keep the old killer in him from re-emerging. This setup makes for a unique battle of wits when Min Tae-ju enters the picture, and Kim soon finds himself outmaneuvered by a younger killer whose name he can barely remember.
Memoir of a Murderer has a fascinating protagonist. Kim Byung-su has many sins, but he is loyal to his daughter and sharply observant when his mind is working. Sol Kyung-gu plays the role well, a haunted man with a tenacious streak that keeps him pushing forward. The personal side of the story is touching and innately tragic, while the fight with Min is an uphill struggle that leaves Kim questioning his sanity.
Memoir of a Murderer’s chief shortcoming is that it overstays its welcome. Kim’s condition forces him to retread the same ground over and over again, and the conflicts that are striking the first time around are less so when they are repeated. The movie also has a hard time wrapping everything up in a neat ending. Instead, it indulges in plot twist after plot twist, artificially prolonging the story and dampening its sense of catharsis.
The end result is a dark thriller with a surprising amount of heart. Memoir of a Murderer is carried by a strong main character, a dynamic premise, and plenty of secrets for the viewer to uncover. Its drawn-out story keeps it from being as concise and impactful as it could have been, but anyone willing to go along for the ride will find it to be an interesting watch.
For a much more haunting thriller about a man with memory loss, try Memento. For a Korean crime thriller about dueling serial killers, try Missing You. For a more straightforward action movie about a man with dementia fighting to protect a loved one, try The Bodyguard starring Sammo Hung.
[7.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5729348/). I give it a 7.0 for a sharp story with slight pacing issues.