MIRACLE IN CELL NO. 7

               A father (Ryoo Seung-Ryong), who is mentally handicapped, but loves his daughter very much, is falsely accused of a crime and sent to prison. Later, his daughter Ye-Seung (Park Shin-Hye, who is a law school student, works to prove his innocence. Back in 1997, Yong-Goo lives happily with his daughter Ye-Seung (Kal So-Won), even though he has the intelligence of a child.

           They stop by a shop everyday to look at a yellow Sailor Moon backpack that he hopes to buy his daughter. One day, they notice that the last yellow Sailor Moon backpack is being sold. Yong-Goo goes inside the store to plead his case, but the father buying the backpack ends up slapping Yong-Goo. The following day, the girl who bought the yellow Sailor Moon backpack sees Yong-Goo working in the grocery store parking lot. She tells him that she knows another store that sells the same yellow backpack. Yong-Goo follows the girl to a traditional outdoor market. A short while later, the girl is laying on the ground unconscious and Yong-Goo is trying to perform CPR. A woman walks by and calls the police. Yong-Goo is accused of kidnap and murder.

          The father of the dead girl is also the chief of the National Police Agency. Yong-Goo is given the death penalty and incarcerated. In prison, Yong-Goo shares a jail cell with five other inmates. One day, Yong-Goo saves the life of his cellmate So Yang-Ho (Oh Dal-Su) from a rival prison gang leader. So Yang-Ho then offers to help Yong-Goo in any way he can to return the favor. Yong-Goo tells So Yang-Ho that he wants to see his daughter Ye-Seung. The five inmates then plan to make a miracle happen.

You'll Laugh. You'll Cry. You'll Care. You'll Love. And You'll Have A Great Time.

This will make viewers laugh. And this will make viewers cry. Miracle in Cell No. 7 is a heartwarming tale that depicts the relationship between a 6-year old girl & her mentally challenged father who's accused & convicted for a crime he didn't commit. Awaiting the trial, he is assigned Cell no. 7 which consists of the most hardened criminals & unknowingly convinces everyone that he's a good-hearted fellow who couldn't have committed the crime he's accused of. And so, the inmates get together to help him see his daughter again by breaking her in & also start preparing him for his trial.

The film also carries a huge emotional baggage that is sugar-coated with layers after layers of superbly timed humour but is sure to leave many viewers with tears during its heartbreaking final moments.

On an overall scale, Miracle in Cell No. 7 completely surprised me with its heartfelt narration, plethora of childlike but never childish moments, expert use of slapstick humour, vibrant characters & a heart-winning performances from its cast. It may not be great enough to rank amongst the best films of its genre but its soul is certainly at the right place plus it makes up for an immensely satisfying family drama that will leave most of its viewers with a smile on their face & tears in their eyes. Give it a try.