Minari (2020) Movie Review
You might have heard of Minari due to the controversy of the Golden Globes’ decision to include Minari in the Foreign Language Film category. There have been countless articles and discussions about this decision which has given Minari some additional visibility. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to catch this film, because of the rave reviews it had been getting.
The film is set in 1980’s Arkansas and follows a family of Korean immigrants. Jacob (Steven Yeun) and Monica (Yeri Han) are a married couple who worked in a hatchery in California. They check the sex of baby chicks all day and Jacob is somewhat famed for his speed in this department. Their children, Anne (Noel Cho) and David (Alan S. Kim), are young and navigating their dual identities of being Korean and American. Jacob buys a large piece of land in Arkansas and moves the family there. They live in a mobile home and Monica is less than pleased that their new abode has wheels.
It’s clear from the start that owning a farm is Jacob’s dream and that Monica has never really been on board. They both work at a hatchery to make ends meet while Jacob begins work on the farm. He hires a field hand Paul (Will Patton), who is a bit odd and uber religious – at one point we see him carrying a large cross down a dirt road. The two men till the soil and begin planting rows and rows of crops. Monica and Jacob pretty much argue nonstop and in order to appease his wife, Jacob sends for her mother Soonja (Yuh-jung Youn). The children don’t exactly take to their new grandma being around. David repeatedly tells her she isn’t a “real grandma” because she doesn’t bake cookies and she swears a lot.
The movie quietly follows this immigrant family as they navigate the harsh reality of working the land. I wasn’t expecting Minari to be as funny as it was. The grandma was especially hilarious, calling the kids dirty bastards when she played cards with them and encouraging David to wander into the woods with her. The cinematography was beautiful, showcasing the landscape of the farm and the hardships of living in a rural area with precision.
One qualm I had with the movie is the lack of character development for both Monica and Anne. Monica was very much painted as a woman scorned, who did not support her husband’s dreams and who was angry and bitter much of the time. I would have liked some back story on why she preferred living in the city or just some personal details about her other than she hated living in the mobile home in the country. The real scene stealer was Alan S. Kim who was adorable as David. He held his own on screen with each of the other actors and his point of view in the movie was a nice respite from the more serious tones of the adults.
Minari was not what I expected, but in the best way. It was a truly touching story about a family trying to make it in a new country and attempting to follow their dreams to better their situation. There were countless sweet moments that were relatable as the family struggled to make ends meet and there were plenty of humorous moments to balance it out.
Film or Movie: Film
You’ll like this film if:
1. You like stories about following your dreams
2. You like stories about immigrants
3. You’re okay with reading some subtitles
