Good Ol’ Review: Ji Il Joo and Lee Elijah Are Irresistibly Charming in Warm-Hearted “My Bossy Girl”

My Bossy Girl Film Review

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW
No spoilers.

The 2019 film My Bossy Girl (너의 여자친구) is a fluffy romantic comedy done right. An irresistibly charming couple and the right amount of depth turn out to be the perfect recipe for a thoroughly engaging and warm-hearted story of self-confidence, selflessness and the innumerable value of the connections people have with one another.

Our story begins at a university festival where champion archer Hye Jin (Lee Elijah) crashes into shy engineering student Hwi So (Ji Il Joo) in her wheelchair. To repay him for fixing her damaged wheelchair, Hye Jin treats Hwi So to lunch. But during their meal, her wheelchair is stolen. Hwi So decides to build a motorized wheelchair from scratch and so begins their friendship.

That friendship naturally develops into something more as they get to know each other. But both Hwi So and Hye Jin have to face unique personal struggles that unfortunately come to affect their relationship.

Ultimately, Hwi So and Hye Jin work to overcome insecurities and painful pasts with each other’s help. Whether they know it at the time or not.

My Bossy Girl is a wonderful, feel-good story about being confident in yourself, but not being afraid of receiving care and help from others. Having those bonds and connections can help in one’s personal growth. But it also isn’t the only thing that can help one move forward.

Ji Il Joo and Lee Elijah are absolutely charming and effortlessly bring Hwi So and Hye Jin to life. Effectively showing both characters’ growth throughout the film while also exhibiting excellent chemistry make them perhaps the film’s strongest aspect.

It is great to see Ji Il Joo as the romantic leading man. Many of his recent television roles have him in far less bright roles. But he shows his versatility here, proving that he is a more than capable and charming lead and deserving of bigger roles in the future. Hwi So is an immediately likeable boy next door. And when the film begins to delve deeper into his story, Ji Il Joo shines.

Lee Elijah similarly plays a different role from some of her recent work. Hye Jin is a strong, independent woman. An accomplished archer hoping to make the national team, her being in a wheelchair is never a hindrance. Yet, she must still deal with insecurities and an overbearing father which are much more difficult for her to face. Lee Elijah easily balances being a romantic leading lady with effectively expressing Hye Jin as a multi-layered character on her own.

My Bossy Girl Film Review

My Bossy Girl is an interesting, if not curious title for a film that is far less about a pair of opposites attracting. But more about a pair who have more in common than meets the eye. The film doesn’t try to break new ground, but strives to do what it sets out to do well. And it does. Wonderfully charming and warm-hearted, My Bossy Girl is perfect feel-good film.

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