Story: When the sands of the matrimonial hour glass begin to wear thin, Bank Manager Bong-soo Kim finds himself on a desperate search for a wife. Surrounded by friends and associates who sense the ticking of their own biological clocks, Bong-soo manages to throw himself a private pity party while timidly avoiding the woman who may just be the answer to all his problems

Review: Korean films dealing with the age-old topic of love can usually be divided into one of two categories. First, there is the ultra depressing variety. Boy meets girl, the two fall in love, boy finds out that girl has terminal illness, boy loses girl. The second is the overtly cute sort where boy thinks he has life all figured out, then he meets a quirky girl that blows his mind, resulting in a painfully humorous whirlwind relationship that usually ends in some sort of happily ever after. I Wish I Had a Wife, on the other hand, manages to form together a Frankenstein’s Monster of a film, possessing elements of both categories, but not quite managing to hit the mark on either aspect.

Heading up this little experiment is director Heung-Sik Park in the role of Dr. Fredrick Von Frankenstein. The good Doctor not only has the task of shouting action and cut at all the right moments, but he also bears the responsibility for having written this cinematic mutt, as his name graces the credits on both accounts. Up next in the lineup is the incredible actor Kyung-gu Sol. Probably best known for his outstanding work with the incomparable director Chang-dong Lee, it is somewhat hard to figure out just why this man, whose name is so often synonymous with powerhouse, emotional performances, has ventured out only to end up playing a lukewarm, heart-sick bank teller. From here we give the monster his mate. In the role of the Bride of Frankenstein, Do-yeon Jeon plays perhaps the mousiest, most obliviously bashful character in Korean cinema history. Fortunately, she would go onto star in such Blockbuster hits as Untold Scandal and No Blood No Tears, so just like Kyung-gu, we will let this one slide. With introductions out of the way, our two leads give it their all, but all the great casting in the world cannot save a dud of a script.

Perhaps one can pass the mediocrity off on a case of art reflecting life, as it is quite possible that most of the mundanity that takes place throughout the course of this film is simple and lifelike. A boring man with a boring job begins to feel the pressure when the realization of age, coupled with the absence of a life partner and the actions of friends begins to stir up the pot, if only ever so slightly. As our hopelessly romantic leading man proceeds to stumble along the way toward his inevitable connection with the shy school teacher next door, he stops along the way for a temporary relationship of convenience with an old school mate, which appeared to be doomed from the beginning, leaving him in a worse state then when we found him. Not to say that this film is without merit, but the slow pacing and lack luster plot only prove to amplify any issues that one may find. As for the finer moments, it would not be fair to overlook what is one of the most charming, if not pathetic, character tools found in a film of this sort. Throughout the course of this film Bong-soo takes the time to record a video love letter of sorts for his potential wife to be. Through these series of scenes we learn the true weight of his desire, as he reveals his soul on camera. In fact, director Park manages to utilize the candid nature of the well placed camera throughout the film, showing us multiple instances of life passing by before an ATM security cam; an element which adds a voyeuristic aspect allowing a creative break up in the monotony.

All in all, it would be tough for this reviewer to honestly recommend this picture to anyone without a serious desire for this particular type of film, as I found myself going from “I Wish I Had A Wife” to “I Wish I Had My Time Back”, but under the right circumstances, it is not impossible to imagine this film finding an audience amongst the initiated who would like a break from the typical romantic fair.