In 2009, I saw Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho's "Mother". I loved it and thought this is a uniquely talented writer/director. His films since then have mostly been very good, but not at the level of "Mother". "Parasite" surpasses "Mother" and will probably end up on most Top 10 lists for 2019. I know it will be on mine.
"Parasite" exists on the very edge of reality. Actually, it ventures over that line into satire, and that's dangerous ground for a film because good satire is rare. Some of the film's situations are beyond belief until you think of some of the news stories that routinely pop up. Bong Joon Ho straddles the line of credulity and even when he goes over it you have to forgive him because it's presented so you feel like you are being held captive by him, even if it's willingly.
On the poor side of town, the Kim family lives crowded together in a tiny subterranean apartment that they share with multiple stink bugs. They are not terribly distressed or happy about their situation. The Kims are low-level hustlers, but it's not really working for them.
Ki-taek (Kang-ho Sang) is the father. His history is littered with a string of failed businesses. Chung-sook (Hye-jin Jang) is mom. She is a wise-cracking lady. Ki-woo (Woo-sik Choi) is the smiling son who keeps failing his college entrance exams. Ki-jung (So-dam Park) is the cynical daughter who can't get into art school. What the entire family shares is smarts and deviousness. I'll refer to them as Dad, Mom, Son, and Daughter to avoid confusion for all of us.
The family's way of surviving economically is for all of them to fold pizza boxes for a local pizzeria. As you might imagine, the money isn't rolling in. Son gets a visit from a friend of his. The friend has a favor to ask. He wants Son to temporarily take over the job of tutoring a rich young girl that he plans to propose to when she is older and is afraid that if he asks one of his college buddies to help as they might steal her. He doesn't view Son as a similar threat. Son accepts
Son wins the daughter and her mother over quickly. Soon, Son enacts a plan to get his entire family working for the wealthy family. It works quickly. The way the poor family invades the rich family is what the title of the film alludes to.
Bong Joon Ho has put all of this into a form that masterfully bounces between comedy and drama, with the underlying theme exploring the inequities and absurdities of modern day life. That's a really tough balancing act, but it all works. An added perk is that the film is exquisite looking. This is one parasite everyone should be exposed to.
| Movie title | Parasite |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2019 |
| MPAA Rating | NR |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | This examination of class warfare executed with a razor's edge will have you careening between being horrified and laughing out loud. |
