Film Review: Treeless Mountain

October 05, 2008 "Treeless Mountain," the latest from writer-director Kim So-yong ("In Between Days"), is a simultaneously simple and complex film that straddles the line between coming-of-age drama and family tragedy. Without wallowing in sentimentality or judging any of her characters, Kim has drawn a mature portrait of an elementary school girl old before her time and a loss of childhood that rings true on every level. Mrs. Lee (Lee Soo-ah), a single mother unable to care for her daughters, Jin (Kim Hee-yeon) and Bin (Kim Song-hee), abruptly packs them off to their aunt (Kim Mi-hiyang) while she goes in search of their missing father.

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