Korean trafficking comedy-drama evokes kindness and empathy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
The plot centers around people selling unwanted babies, although the horrors of this are underplayed. Detectives investigate a murder in an apartment that has blood on some objects. Subtle threat when mobsters extort a laundrette owner by bringing a shirt covered in blood. A coach tells kids playing soccer at an orphanage that the losing team "gets finger flicked." A detective uses a corpse's hand to unlock a phone. An angry woman grabs another person's shirt. In self-defense, a character puts another in a chokehold until they pass out. Character mentions rape.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
The movie features a Korean cast -- with good gender balance -- and a Japanese writer/director. Characters from various social classes, and at difficult times in their lives, are treated with equal care and compassion.
Despite the immoral and criminal activity at the center of the film, characters show teamwork, compassion, empathy, and kindness, as well as appreciation of others. Circumstances can drive people to desperate actions. The importance of self-forgiveness. However, there's no escaping the heinous behavior of the central characters, even if they do show positive traits.
Positive Role Models
very little
Middle-aged man Sang-hyun Ha runs a laundry and sidelines selling abandoned babies who are left at a church. Despite this criminal activity, he is fond of the children he sells, kind-hearted, sweet, and is living with mistakes that derailed his life. Young man Dong-soo works with Sang-hyun selling babies. A former resident of an orphanage, he is kind and caring to the abandoned children. They risk capture when they take it to hospital when it's unwell. Su-jin is a detective on the case of the traffickers. She is judgmental and uses tricks to try to catch criminals. Through self-reflection she softens her outlook. Moon So-young is a young woman who leaves her baby at the church but learns the baby was taken by Sang-hyun. She has a troubled past and a fiery temper but is caring.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Broker is a thoughtful South Korean film (with English subtitles) by Japanese writer-director Hirokazu Koreeda, who often finds positive messages in unconventional situations. This dark comedy-drama is no different, with strong themes of teamwork, compassion, and empathy in a story about two men -- Sang-hyun (Kang-ho Song) and Dong-soo (Dong-won Gang) -- trying to sell a stolen baby. The movie features a sex worker, murder (with a scene in a slightly bloodied apartment), and trafficking, but presents its story in a warmhearted way. Despite its warmth, it doesn't shy away from strong emotions or consequences of characters' actions. Infrequent strong language includes "f--k" and "bitch," and there are mentions of abortion and a stillborn birth. Occasional violence includes a character passing out after being put in a choke hold and mobsters trying to intimidate a shop owner. An example of the movie's dark humor is when a couple complains that a baby they are buying isn't as good looking as in the photos, so they demand a discount. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Katherine R.Parent of 8, 10, 14, 18+, 18+ and 5-year-old
March 31, 2024
age 14+
Why did they make this movie
What's the Story?
In BROKER, Sang-hyun (Kang-ho Song) and Dong-soo (Dong-won Gang), two men who sell babies to parents in need, are joined by So-young Moon (Ji-eun Lee), a mother whose baby they plan to sell. While an unlikely family unit forms, detectives look for evidence that will convict Sang-hyun and Dong-soo of their crimes.
This Korean comedy crime drama tackles tough issues but director Hirokazu Koreeda tells them with a slight fairy tale quality with his trademark kindness and consideration. All the characters in Broker have suffered in their lives and on the face of it many are reprehensible. Yet Koreeda's story offers them kindness, forgiveness, and even family. Lesser filmmakers might have struggled to find a feel-good movie in a story of abandoned and trafficked children. But Koreeda is the master of nurturing the humanity in his characters, whatever their situation. With immaculate performances, emotional moments, and occasional dark humor, this is another Koreeda movie that shows the value of kindness, compassion, and connections, and what a difference they can make.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Broker's positive messages. What character strengths did the central characters display? Did you find it strange that these traits shone through despite their abhorrent behavior? What do you think the writer-director was trying to say?
What did you think of Sang-hyun and Dong-soo? Did you empathize with them despite their actions? Why, or why not?
Family is a key theme in lots of Koreeda's movies, including this one. Do you think that the group in this film could be classed as a family? What makes a family? What different kinds of families are there?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Tom Cassidy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
