Movie Review--Parasite

"Tutor a rich kid.  It pays well."
--Min, Parasite


Bong Joon-ho's Parasite is not just one of the best thematically reinforced movies of 2019, but it also holds some of 2019's best twists.  That Parasite is a blatantly Korean film with English subtitles only makes its clever exploration of poverty and deception all the more significant: the issues addressed therein are not confined only to Western countries.  Parasite may have been made in South Korea, but the urgent relevance and importance of its themes mean that it is a film that everyone should see at some point in their lives.  One of the best movies of 2019, it easily stands alongside other standout movies of the year like Joker, Doctor Sleep, Avengers: Endgame, and Little Women.


Production Values

Westerners will not need to be familiar with the names of the Korean actors and actresses to see that they are genuinely talented performers who never make an acting misstep in the film.  There is no weak link when it comes to the acting; there is no subpar delivery of lines (lines that many Americans could not even understand without the included subtitles).  Everything from the performers' casual mannerisms to their dialogue elevates the characters to sinister realism, all of which helps communicate the increasingly complex, unexpected, and selfish lengths they must go to in order to sustain a lifestyle built on deception.

It is not only the performances that deserve praise, though.  The cinematography, music, and locations are all utilized very well in their own right, contributing to the themes in ways that these components rarely do in other films.  As with the acting, there is no true weak link in the various other aspects of Parasite's presentation.  The different elements of the film lock together exactly like those of other excellent movies do.  Indeed, any American who watches Parasite will see an example of the fact that the best films of a year (or decade) do not have to come from traditional places.


Story

Spoilers!

A family living in poverty gets the opportunity to increase its material wealth as each member gradually begins working for a rich family as a tutor, an art therapist, a driver, and a housekeeper.  However, every single member of the former family is only pretending: they are not really tutors, drivers, and so on.  The rich family is oblivious, becoming more and more open to the suggestions of the deceptive individuals they employ.


Intellectual Content

Intentionally or unintentionally, Parasite acknowledges that while financial productivity and needs might be fundamental to human life, there is far more to human existence than monetary concerns.  Its direct and unflinching look at the lifestyle and mindset differences of the rich and poor does not stop it from showing the family of "protagonists" eventually begin to look down on others who experience some of the same misfortunes they once did--not that the family was on the right side of morality to begin with.  Nevertheless, they are shown as highly intelligent due to necessity more than anything else: they are clear depictions of what intelligent people are capable of when they are willing to cross almost any line to materially better their lives.


Conclusion

Parasite does not demonize the rich or demonize the poor.  Rather, it merely calls attention to pressing class problems that are just as much of an issue in other parts of the world as they are in America, as the release of Joker and Parasite in the same year evidence.  The enormous filmmaking skill on display serves as a great example of how a strong thematic core does not have to come at the expense of originality, excellence, and consistency of quality.  It is the combination of both that is most likely to impact audiences and challenge the worldviews of those who need to be challenged, and Parasite does not sacrifice either component for the sake of the other.


Content:
 1.  Violence:  A man makes his face bloody by slamming it against a wall, and he later kills a boy by using a large rock to strike his head.  He also stabs a girl.
 2.  Profanity:  "Fuck" is uttered numerous times.
 3.  Sexuality:  In one scene, a husband and wife sexually fondle each other's genitals while fully clothed.