Brooklyn Spectator review Cupid's Mistake

BROOKLYN SPECTATOR


CUPID'S MISTAKE
(Phaedra /Dearfilm: Not yet rated by the MPAA)J
September, 5, 2001

Here's a sweet little independent movie from Korean-American filmmaker Young Man Kang who wrote, produced, and directed this, his first feature. 'CUPID'S MISTAKE' is a "la ronde' type of love venture that has each individual rebuffed by the other, who is in turn equally rebuffed when the shoe is on the other foot.
Susan(Susan Petry) is an actress who is in love with filmmaker Gil (Everado Gil), but he doesn't respond with similar feelings. Rather, he is entranced by Toya (Toya Cho), a Korean-American model who doesn't respond to his overtures of love. She in turn loves Ken (Ken Yasuda), a Japanese-American body builder and personal trainer, but is nixed by him when he is made aware of her love. He finds Susan, who completes the cycle, only to be rejected by her when he expresses his feelings.
It's Gil who comes to his senses concerning Susan, but now it may be too late.
Against the backdrop of Santa Monica, love and relationship turn out to be fickle and fleeting, and matches aren't always in the making. Pain, frustration, and heartbreak are readily seen in these encounters.
Running an hour and ten minutes, "CUPID'S MISTAKE" has ordinary dialogue between ordinary people in ordinary situations - nothing of the glossy Hollywood variety.
The film well demonstrates finding, keeping, and losing love is all part of the love game.
Shot on digital video and a $980 budget, with improvisation by the principles in this love quadrangle, "CUPID'S MISTAKE" appears more real in its situations than a lot of the romantic dribble that has come out of Hollywood with enormous budgets.