Treeless Mountain

A minimalist masterpiece.

Treeless Mountain is skillfully unsentimental--because of, but also despite, the presence of two irresistible, unself-conscious performers in virtually every scene.

The movie is thoroughly engrossing from the opening frame to the end credits, and it’s a beautiful viewing experience.

Both lovely and wrenching, So Yong Kim's intimate drama feels so honest, it's often difficult to watch.

Kim is deft and sensitive with her tiny co-stars, but Treeless Mountain lacks the freshness and surprise of "In Between Days."

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.

The problem is that while the children are lovely because they are children, there is nothing inherently interesting about them or their lives.