Well, I won't write a bunch, the movie is pretty good. It has a really really slow pace, so that might be a problem to some. The story takes its time, and over all, it's a movie were the cinematography stands out, the image on screen is always impactful in some way.
The acting is great, all of the cast really, even the kids, I think did an awesome job, and they are just immersed in the characters. The story is touching, and you can relate to most of the characters. The grandma and the kid's relationship are probably the one that evolves the most throughout. The kid actually is the heart and soul of the movie, and he manages to emote a lot, even without speaking much.
There isn't much else to say I think, I believe the story has some rhymes withing itself, for sure, that I probably haven't realized because I only saw the movie once.
To sum up, the movie is good, the acting is great, and the cinematography is gorgeous, it just feels a lot longer than it actually is.
7,5/10
Minari
2020
Action / Drama
Minari
2020
Action / Drama
Keywords: 1980schurchfarmera24american dream
Plot summary
Yearning to own a small patch of land and be more than a chicken sexer, the ambitious paterfamilias, Jacob Yi, relocates his Korean-American family: sceptical wife, Monica, and their children, David and Anne, from California to 1980s rural Arkansas, to start afresh and capture the elusive American Dream. However, new beginnings are always challenging, and to find out what is best for the family, let alone start a 50-acre farm to grow and sell Korean fruits and vegetables, is easier said than done. But, amid sincere promises, cultural unease, fleeting hopes, and the ever-present threat of financial disaster, Jacob is convinced that he has found their own slice of Eden in the rich, dark soil of Arkansas. Can grandma Soonja's humble but resilient minari help the Yi family figure out their place in the world?
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Beautiful
Minari
In many ways Minari is a throwback to the farming dramas of the mid 1980s. Films such as Country, The River and Places in the Heart showing the harsh realities of rural life.
Minari has for its protagonists a Korean immigrant family.
Set in the 1980s. Jacob (Steven Yeun) has brought his family from California to Arkansas.
Sick and tired of his menial job that will lead him to nowhere. He dreams of growing Korean vegetables for the expanding Korean market.
His wife Monica (Yeri Han) though is horrified by the move. She liked California and now finds herself living in a mobile home. Their son David has a heart murmur and the closest hospital is a hour's drive away.
The children settle down and even make friends. However this new life brings tensions between Jacob and the increasingly unhappy Monica.
Pretty soon Monica's mother Soonja comes to live with them as she could look after the kids. It is Soonja who takes the kids to plant some Minari seeds near the creek. It is a type of herb.
Monica gets a job in a local chicken factory which is similar to the job she was doing in California.
Jacob finds that farming life is not easy. Especially the water he needs to grow his plants which has eaten up his money.
Minari is mainly in Korean. The few English speaking characters include Paul (Will Patton) a devout Christian who works on the farm and has his own cross to bear.
The success of the Korean film Parasite has helped garner Minari critical success. Director Lee Isaac Chung has been nominated for a best director and screenwriting Oscar for his semi autobiographical story.
It explores the immigrant dreams of a better life and hard work. Jacob and Monica seem to integrate with the local Arkansas community as they are Christians who regularly go to church.
The presence of the children allows Chung to bring humour and playfulness to the film. Grandma Soonja likes the mountain water that the kids like to drink. It is Mountain Dew.
Minari is an understated and poignant film. It does not go for easy histrionics to create false drama. The performances feel natural.
However Chung leaves the film a little too open ended. Despite all the tribulations it is grandmother's Minari to the rescue.
a real immigrant story
It's 1983. Korean immigrant Yi family moves from California to rural Arkansas where the father dreams of growing Korean vegetables and grab a piece of the American dream. His wife has massive doubts. The couple works hard sexing chicks. Their son has heart problems. The wife's mother arrives to take care of the kids. The family is befriended by religious fanatic Paul. It's a struggle on many fronts.
It's the classic immigrant struggle and it's as compelling as ever. It feels real. It feels personal. It just feels. It's a movie with all the feelings. It's funny, sad, intense, and light-hearted. All the performances are great and they all feel real.