The color of greed turns blood red in this enjoyably exaggerated romp involving a group of cash-strapped people and a bag full of money.

Debuting director Kim Yong-hoon acknowledges a certain Fargo _influence, but there’s also a hint of _What’s Up, Doc?, albeit far bloodier, as a Louis Vuitton bag stuffed with cash becomes the catalyst for a cascading chain of events.

Jay Weissberg, Variety

Fishy metaphors abound in Kim Yong-hoon’s smart port-city neo-noir Beasts Clawing at Straws (Jipuragirado Jabgo Sipeun Jimseungdeul).

In the film’s opening moments, the loot is discovered in a locker by downtrodden sauna-hotel employee Joong-man (Bae Seong-woo), who for various family-related reasons happens to be in particularly urgent need of money. Similarly cash-strapped is demure bar hostess Mi-ran (Shin Hyun-been), bankrupted by stock market speculations and suffering domestic abuse at the hands of her volatile husband. One of her customers, Chinese wannabe badass Jin-tae (Jung Man-sik), falls headlong in love with her and offers to remove the despicable spouse from the picture permanently. Complications ensue – predictably, rapidly, bloodily.

Neil Young, Hollywood Reporter