Beasts Clawing at Straws

Beasts Clawing at Straws (Korean: 지푸라기라도 잡고 싶은 짐승들; RR: Jipuragirado Jabgo Sipeun Jimseungdeul) is a 2020 South Korean crime thriller film directed by Kim Yong-hoon. The film is based on the 2011 novel Wara nimo Sugaru Kemono tachi by Japanese author Keisuke Sone.

Plot

The narrative follows several desperate individuals whose lives intersect through a bag of money discovered in a bathhouse locker. Joong-man (Bae Sung-woo), a struggling part-time bathhouse employee caring for his mother with Alzheimer's disease, finds the cash and decides to keep it. Meanwhile, Tae-young (Jung Woo-sung), a customs officer burdened by debt to a loan shark, becomes entangled in a dangerous situation involving his girlfriend, Yeon-hee (Jeon Do-yeon), who disappears after borrowing money from him. As a body is discovered, the stories of these characters and others, including the debt-ridden Mi-ran (Shin Hyun-bin), collide as their conflicting desires drive them toward a violent confrontation.

Production

The film was directed by Kim Yong-hoon, who also contributed to the screenplay. Principal photography for the project commenced on August 30, 2018, and concluded on November 30, 2018. The film was distributed by Megabox Plus M and released in South Korea on February 19, 2020.

Cast

Jeon Do-yeon as Yeon-hee
Jung Woo-sung as Tae-young
Bae Sung-woo as Joong-man
Youn Yuh-jung as Soon-ja
Jeong Man-sik as Doo-man
Shin Hyun-bin as Mi-ran
Jung Ga-ram as Jin-tae
Jin Kyung as Young-sun
Park Ji-hwan as Boongeo
Kim Joon-han as Jae-hoon

Reception and Awards

At the 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards, held on February 9, 2021, the film received the award for Best Film Editing, which was presented to Han Mi-yeon.