The Oscars are buzzing with excitement over the Korean film Minari.
Minari is set in 1980s Arkansas and follows the story of a family trying to start out as farmers in a new country. Jacob (Steven Yeun) and Monica (Yeri Han) are trying to provide the best for their two younger kids Anne (Noel Cho) and David (Alan S. Kim) so they uproot and move to Arkansas hoping for a brighter future.
Soonja (Yuh-Jung Youn) joins her daughter, Monica in Arkansas to help raise the family but also provide moral and financial support and develop a bond with her grandchildren.
Minari on paper sounds rather ordinary, but it is an extraordinary piece of cinema that deserves the full attention. It highlights the determination and strength parents will go to when wanting to provide a better future for their children. The endless handwork and struggle to make ends meet, but also continually pursuing the dream of success, no matter the continual self-doubt.
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, Minari, has a realness that is raw and authentic. There are moments within the family on screen where there is the underlying sense of hopelessness but finding the strength to keep on going. This is a remarkable film that makes you think about the hard times in your own life and how you found the energy to put one foot in front of the other and keep going even when at times it all seems like it is falling apart.
Written by Lee Isaac Chung, this is a story about the love one has for their family and the determination to succeed, no matter the cost. There is also the theme of being an immigrant in a small Midwest town. There are many aspects of this film that make you think about the opportunities your own parents worked so hard to provide for you without realizing the struggle.
Steven Yeun as Jacob is a stellar performance. There is a sense of sheer determination and the driving force to never give up, even when things appear bad. Steven Yeun as Jacob is a strong performance that is genuine and honest.
Young Alan S. Kim as younger son David is truly remarkable. There is a cheekiness about this characterization but also there is something about this performance that reminds you of a younger brother or family member that was curious and fiercely independent.
Stand out is Yuh-Jung Youn as Soonja. Firstly the performance will remind you of elements of a grandparent, the mannerisms of someone from an older generation struggling to connect with a younger grandchild is something amusing to watch. But there is a real honesty about Yun-Jung Youn that will stay with you.
Minari was not what I was expecting in all the good ways. It is a film that is like nothing I have ever watched. It is visually gorgeous with a remarkable story about the realities of starting out in a new country. A young couple wanting only the best for their family and going to whatever lengths possible to make the reality of it come true no matter the inevitable hardship.
Minari is available on numerous streaming platforms.
