Film Review: With Love, Charlie
by Karen Pecota

Jaren Hayman, Canada, USA, 2024

The Korean War began in 1950 as North Korea invaded South Korea to reunify the country under communist control. The South Koreans holding unique skills beneficial to the cause were forced to join the Northern army. Many translators were under this coercive force of service. Those who refused risked becoming a prisoner of war suffering extreme hardship and possibly death.

Some of these individuals were English-speaking interpreters needed to aid the North Koreans as the Americans joined the fight with South Korea in their plight against communism.

Filmmaker Jaren Hayman writes and directs his short feature film WITH LOVE, CHARLIE that follows two couples: one American and one Korean. Jae (Dongwoo Kang) and Nuri (Abin Andrews) from Korea, and Charlie (Curran Walters) and Anne (Ella Cannon) from the United States of America are both expecting their first child. Charlie and Jae go to war as decorated soldiers. Both wives struggle with the choice that the military makes for their husbands.

During the deployments of Jae and Charlie they write letters to their wives sharing many things about their lives, the sadness of what they witness, their undying love, and the hope that they will soon return home. Anne and Nuri long for each letter that arrives.

In 1951, Charlie is wounded, and hiding, until a North Korean captain (Jongman Kim) and Jae, his interpreter, find him in desperation. Charlie pleads with the two not to kill him because his wife is expecting their first child, and he needs to get home to them. The captain doesn’t understand and has no empathy toward Charlie’s request. He orders Jae to kill Charlie and not waste any time in doing so. Jae has empathy for Charlie, as wife is pregnant with their first child. Jae weeps bitterly! The captain summons Jae but while leaving Charlie’s side, Jae grabs a book that Charlie has in his hand, he secretly hides it in his pocket and joins his captain.

What follows is the destiny of these two families and how they become forever connected through a special bond of love and mercy.