Trailers
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
Description
Ma-nim (Kim Jeong-ah-II) becomes a widow after her husband dies from sickness and she arrives at Bukgando to get remarried. Her new husband is a handsome and wealthy man but he is killed by a Japanese even before she spends a night with him. Ma-nim is alone in the big house once again. Everyone by her husband's side leaves and only the grandfather and slave named Bau are left behind. One day, Ma-nim notices that Bau has a way of staring at her and she is overcome by a strange feeling. She'd to oppress her desires as a woman because of her two short marriages and strict identity. Bau had never made love with a woman before but she didn't mind his gaze on her. The two of them start a forbidden love behind grandfather's back...
Key opinion
Madame is a nuanced, character-driven dramedy that subverts the classic Cinderella trope to explore themes of social class, hypocrisy, and the search for authentic connection. While some viewers find the plot predictable, the film is widely praised for its sophisticated atmosphere and strong performances by the female leads.
| Acting | Toni Collette and Rossy de Palma anchor the film with powerful performances that bring depth and dignity to the contrast between social pretension and genuine human emotion | |
| Production | Amanda Sters successfully utilizes elegant production design and atmospheric visuals to emphasize the sharp divide between the sterile, wealthy elite and the vibrant inner life of the household staff | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay adeptly balances light French-style humor with cynical social commentary, avoiding both forced slapstick and heavy-handed tragedy | |
| Originality | The narrative is effective as a modern, sophisticated subversion of Cinderella, favoring psychological realism over fairytale tropes | |
| Originality | Opinions on the plot are divided; some find the story pleasant and thought-provoking, while others feel the premise is unoriginal or follows a familiar, predictable trajectory |