A Bittersweet Life | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

100% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings

A gangster (Lee Byung-hun) starts a violent feud after he refuses to kill his boss's (Kim Yeong-cheol) cheating girlfriend.

Critics Reviews

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A Bittersweet Life | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Anton Bitel Little White Lies scenes of Tarantino-esque mayhem, messy rebirth and ultra-violent destruction serve to dramatise Sun-woo’s conflicting inner desires as he shadow-boxes with himself as much as taking down everyone else. Apr 11, 2024 Full Review A Bittersweet Life | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Empire Magazine Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review A Bittersweet Life | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Panos Kotzathanasis HanCinema The film is filled with cliches of the category, starting with the script and continuing with the characters. However, Kim Jee-woon seems to realize the fact, and does not take the film so seriously, in a tactic that adds to the entertainment it offers Dec 16, 2018 Full Review A Bittersweet Life | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy The worst things about it are still awfully solid, and the best things are deep and probing far beyond what you'd ever naturally expect from a film of this model. Rated: 8/10 Mar 4, 2015 Full Review A Bittersweet Life | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Adam Lippe Examiner.com It's all artifice. No matter how good the acting, how stylish the visuals, or efficient the screenplay, A Bittersweet Life never convinces us that it's not a movie. Dec 17, 2011 Full Review A Bittersweet Life | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Don Willmott Filmcritic.com What's great about all this isn't just the gloriously choreographed violence (among the best I've ever seen) but also Lee Byeong-heon's bravura and surprisingly profound performance Rated: 4/5 Mar 10, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Craig H The very 1st film i reviewed on here over 4 years ago and decided to watch it again. The Story of a man working within a criminal underworld who has aspirations for something better and more in life through his meeting of his bosses lover, but reality is bitter and brutal. It's dark, stylish, tragic and no one does revenge more poetically and visually than Asian movies. One of Asias best, would make a brilliant double feature with Oldboy! Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/24/24 Full Review Carlos T Filme: O Gosto da VingançaAssistido: Elenco: @byunghun0712 @illusomina @hwangjungminvn Kim Yeong-cheol, Kim Roi-há @jungyumidaily @actor_jingoo @ericmun.shinhwaModelo: #ação #mafia #gangstersDuração: 2hAno: 2005Minha opinião: Um filme de gangsters ao estilo asiático coreano, chinês, Thailandês, japonês,.... Com todo drama existente o momento da vingança e da matança. Com muito sangue e tiros. Temos aqui Lee Byung-hun um ator conhecido de Hoolywood com os G.I Joe, Red, Exterminador,...... Mas aqui seu papel é de guarda-costa da máfia e deve ser da amante do chefão. Mas acaba se apaixonando por ela Hee (Shin Min-a). E isso o condena a morte. É enterrado, mas enquanto pensam que esta morto, ele se levanta para a vingança. E vamos ver um leão atraz da vingança. E ai vemos as melhores cenas do filme. As atuações são boas e as cenas fortes e produzidas.Roteiro e enredo fizeram bem a lição de casa. De um roteiro conhecido fizeram bem. Vale apena assistir? Para quem gosta do gênero. Nota: 6,5 Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/19/24 Full Review Darren D Another team up between director Kim Jee-woon & leading man Lee Byung-hun, makes "A Bittersweet Life" another impressive title from the two, a beautifully made & violent crime thriller.A breakdown of communication & duty from one loyal gangster leads to all trust & loyalty from his boss to be thrown out of the window. This one act is the domino effect for the story, leading to a chain reaction of violent encounters of rival gangs, arm deals & revenge that works towards the final confrontation of blood, bullets & a trail of bodies. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Daniel M Good movie with a story that felt original and done well Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/13/23 Full Review JJJJJJ J Its hard to find much fault with this film. Maybe know watching it for the second time maybe I am seeing it with rose-tinted glasses but I really think this film is incredible. The story, music, shots, editing everything is exceptionally done. The most important thing though is the plot and story. This film is a great character study about a singular man, his thoughts, feels, life, struggle. Just truly incredible. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Liam D Packs more of a Punch than you think because Kim Jee-woon (The Quiet Family, Doomsday Book) draws you into this gruesome but touching Thriller Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/21/21 Full Review Read all reviews

A Bittersweet Life

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Cast & Crew

Kim Jee-woon Director Lee Byung-hun Seon-u Kim Yeong-cheol Boss Kang Shin Min-a Huisu Kim Roe ha Munseok Lee Ki-young Oh Museong
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Synopsis A gangster (Lee Byung-hun) starts a violent feud after he refuses to kill his boss's (Kim Yeong-cheol) cheating girlfriend.

Director
Kim Jee-woon

Producer
Oh Jeong-wan

Screenwriter
Kim Jee-woon

Production Co
Bom Film Productions

Genre
Drama

Original Language
Korean

Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 22, 2019

Runtime
2h 0m

Sound Mix
Dolby Digital Surround EX
A Bittersweet Life | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)
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