‘By The Stream’ Review – Hong Sang-soo’s Honest Look At Love And Expectations

One of two Hong Sang-soo films from last year’s New York Film Festival, By the Stream, is finally making its way into American theaters. The film follows Jeo-nim (Kim Min-hee) as an art lecturer at a women’s university and her uncle, Chu Sieon (Kwon Hae-hyo), an actor who has recently had a scandalous fall from grace, to direct a skit last-minute for a group of students. Chu Sieon is brought in due to the former student director’s misdeeds towards the women in the skit.

By the Stream marks Sangsoo’s 32nd feature film and continues his signature filmmaking style, depicting realism, intellectually stimulating dialogue, and one-shot scenes. His style is certainly jarring for the casual filmgoer, but it’s increasingly rewarding as you let it wash over you. These beautiful conversations and images feel more real than any other film you’ll see this year. 

The film could be marketed as “Hong Sang-soo takes on cancel culture,” as both Sieon and the student director are dealing with situations resulting in their downfall. The former seems to be more accepting of his current state, running a small bookshop in a town not too far away. The student director, however, can’t let sleeping dogs lie. He keeps returning to the school, disrupting the production of the skit and bringing more turmoil to the women he’s already upset. 

Sieon and Jeo-nim’s reunion brings about joy in them both, as it’s been a long time since they’ve seen each other. Their growing bond in the first chunk of the film comes to a halt once Jeonim’s university supervisor, Jeong (Cho Yunhee), is introduced to Sieon. She’s been a huge fan of his work and is taken with him the second she sees him in person. The pair begins spending time together, effectively cutting Jeo-nim out of the equation. There’s a great scene in Jeong’s house where she and Sieon go upstairs so he can tour the space, but they stay up there for what seems like hours. Jeo-nim has been waiting on them to come down so she can leave, but winds up leaving without much of a goodbye.

Hong Sang-soo’s realism here touches on an often-overlooked situation that many experience. The expectations we feel when being with a loved one versus the disappointment we feel when it doesn’t live up to what we thought. Questions start to seep in. Why did this person even agree to be here with me? Does this person even like me anymore? In what nefarious ways are they using me to get something or someone else? 

On the other hand, By the Stream expresses one of the most intoxicating feelings in the world. Whether making a platonic friend or in the early stages of romance, it’s easy to become enamored with someone new. Sieon and Jeong seemingly spend every waking moment together when Sieon isn’t working with the students on the skit. It’s an all-consuming feeling that nearly makes you forget about all the tedious responsibilities you have. 

The depictions of these two feelings are subtle and muted, yet fascinatingly unmistakable. That’s how it happens. We have these feelings and rarely take a moment to think about how they might be affecting how we treat others or how they affect ourselves. We let these emotions overtake us without confronting the other person. They sit with us, and hopefully, we move on, or it grows into something more. 

As expected, Hong Sang-soo delivers a quiet work on the realities of cancel culture, expectations of being reunited with loved ones, and the infatuation one can feel with someone new and exciting. You simply won’t find more honest and realistic depictions of these emotions on screen than from By the Stream.

By the Stream is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of Cinema Guild.