Minari (2020)

My favourite film of 2020, ladies and gentlemen.

(Korean/English)

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Minari is a story about an immigrant Korean family settling down on a farm in Arkansas. Through the course of interactions and tragedies they learn what it takes to be a family and stay united.

A tenderly made, simple narrative Minari naturally brings forth it's argument of how a family sticks together in the face of adversity. It's completely natural setting and magic hour shots let's the audience settle into the rustic space and the naturalist motions of the family blending together. The screenplay serves the story well, bringing out tiny key aspects that intensify the bonds "burning out" and the polarization of dynamics amongst each member. Tragedy as a theme is what places itself as the major conflict in the marriage of Jacob and Monica but also serves as a chord that brings them closer. The cinematography in my view perfectly showed the slow paced and naturalistic settings that brings out the personal aspect of the film by showcasing an impersonal view. Heavy reliability on natural lighting bringing out all the colours that seem bright throughout the lives of our characters completes the emotions conveyed by director Lee Isaac Chung.

To be completely honest this film reminded me of Ray's acclaimed film "Pather Panchali" for it's dynamic storytelling involving layers of meaning, which would be impossible to get into now, revolving around a family structure, but in a different setting, pinpoints the simplicity of storytelling and the days of our lives.

Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Cast: Steve Yeun, Alan Kim, Youn Yuh-Jung, Teri Han, Noel Cho, Will Patton

Rating: 4.5/5