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Breath

Breath

Crime · Drama · 2007

A condemned prisoner slowly falls in love with the married female artist who decorates his prison cell. Jin is a convicted killer awaiting execution on Death Row; Yeon is a lonely artist locked in a loveless marriage.

Movie details

Breath

“Love Can Take Your Breath Away.”

2007 Crime · Drama 1h 24m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

A condemned prisoner slowly falls in love with the married female artist who decorates his prison cell. Jin is a convicted killer awaiting execution on Death Row; Yeon is a lonely artist locked in a loveless marriage.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Breath?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Sunflower

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2037

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Yoon-young, a 19-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a civil servant, is framed as a murderer and imprisoned in a women's prison.

Riot in Cell Block 11

Riot in Cell Block 11

Crime · 1954

A prisoner leads his counterparts in a protest for better living conditions which turns violent and ugly.

Dog Pound

Dog Pound

Drama · 2010

Three juvenile delinquents arrive at a correctional center and are put under the care of an experienced guard.

White Heat

White Heat

Crime · 1949

A psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and then leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist. After the heist, events take a crazy turn.

Brute Force

Brute Force

Crime · 1947

Timeworn Joe Collins and his fellow inmates live under the heavy thumb of the sadistic, power-tripping guard Captain Munsey. Only Collins' dreams of escape keep him going, but how can he possibly bust out of Munsey's chains?

Kiss of Death

Kiss of Death

Crime · 1947

An ex-con trying to go straight must face a crazed criminal out for revenge.

Levity

Levity

Crime · 2003

Manuel Jordan is a man who is free after serving 23 years for killing a teenager during an attempted robbery. After nearly two decades of staring at his victim's face on a newspaper clipping in his cell, the newly paroled man seeks redemption. Instead, redemption—in the form of a mysterious minister and two needy women— finds him.

King Creole

King Creole

Drama · 1958

Delinquent Danny Fisher flunks out of high school, quits his job as a nightclub busboy, and one night gets the chance to perform. Success is imminent and local crime boss Maxie Fields wants to hire him to perform at The Blue Shade. Danny declines, but Fields won't take no for an answer.

Killer's Kiss

Killer's Kiss

Thriller · 1955

Davey Gordon, a New York City boxer at the end of his career, falls for dancer Gloria Price. However, their budding relationship is interrupted by Gloria's violent boss, Vincent Rapallo, who has eyes for Gloria. The two decide to skip town, but before they can, Vincent and his thugs abduct Gloria, and Davey is forced to search for her among the most squalid corners of the city, with his enemy hiding in the shadows.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Kim Ki-duk

Written by

Kim Ki-duk

Chang Chen

Chang Chen

Jang-jin

Ha Jung-woo

Ha Jung-woo

Joo-yeon's Husband

Park Ji-a

Park Ji-a

Hong Joo-yeon

Kang In-hyung

Kang In-hyung

Young Prisoner

Kim Ki-duk

Kim Ki-duk

Prison Warden

Lee Joo-suk

Lee Joo-suk

Prisoner

Oh Soon-tae

Oh Soon-tae

Prisoner

Court is in session

Put Breath on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.