"Remember" Episode 14 recap

Having moved very quickly through similar but mostly unrelated plot points the last several episodes, here "Remember" is forced into that most dreadful of contrivances- when a drama is forced to repeat its own moral conflicts to evade the fact that there's not much more plot to get through. Try taking a count of how many characters enter into discussions regarding the wisdom of current day decisions on the basis of backstory. It comes up a lot.
I thought it was rather amusing how the bad guys are the main ones who keep bringing this subject up, given that they're the ones who benefit the most from such a short-sighted attitude. Note that their whole sales pitch is merely the promise of nebulously defined favors in exchange for gtoesque ethical violations. Jin-woo is at one point exposed as the perfect heroic character because he possesses nothing of value and therefore cannot be bribed or intimidated in any way. Well, given how the corporate conspiracy's powers have been seen to be generally infinite, that does make sense.
But what's lacking is much sense of genuine engagement or excitement. The big elaborate plan to enact the first step toward taking Gyoo-man down once and for all is disapppointingly pedestrian, and I was particularly let down by the ending mostly because it doesn't involve Gyoo-man acting angry. I've come to expect Gyoo-man's temper tantrums to the point that I at least want to see him try to smack other characters around, no matter who they are.
The goods points? Well, the temporary case this episode is ridiculously short- quite literally a couple of scenes. But they are cute scenes because I would expect in a situation like this, where the defense is most likely stipulating to the facts as presented by the prosecution, that the situation is really just a glorified sentencing hearing anyway. Admittedly one that's fairly important for the person being sentenced. Even so.
Beyond that there's relatively little of interest in this episode of "Remember". I'm beginning to think that this drama's more bombastic appeal is starting to wear off. Now that I'm accustomed to all these high interest thrills, anything less than punches that shake the camera and totally extreme melodrama just falls a tad below the mark. While I liked the thinly veiled excuse to shoot a jailhouse scene with ominous dusty lighting, I'm starting to think that "Remember" needs more than excuses alone to justify a story of this length.
Review by William Schwartz

"Remember" is directed by Lee Chang-min-I, written by Yoon Hyeon-ho and features Yoo Seung-ho, Park Min-yeong, Park Seong-woong, Nam Goong-min, Jeong Hye-seong and Jeon Kwang-ryeol

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