Parasite (2019)
Directed by Bong Joon Ho. Written by Bong Joon Ho and Jin Won Han from a story by Bong Joon Ho.
I finally got to see this in a local cinema recently and from all the chatter surrounding this since it debuted at Cannes in May 2019 I knew I was in for a treat.
In hindsight, I don’t think I was quite prepared for what a sheer delight this movie is.
I’d seen two of Bong Joon Ho’s previous works, the brilliant and thought provoking monster movie The Host (2006) and Snowpiercer (2013), which didn’t really resonate with me. So I came to Parasite with more than a little reticence. It’s occurred to me since that a) maybe I prefer his Korean language films and b) I need to watch more of Bong’s films!
From the opening title sequence, it is very clear this is a superbly designed, framed, filmed and edited work. All kudos to Production Designer Ha-jun Lee, DoP Kyung-pyo Hong and film editor Jinmo Yang for their stellar work. The original music by Jaeil Jung is minimal, unobtrusive and unlike so many films, never dictates audience reaction but only ever compliments the action on screen.
Essentially, this is the story of two families, one living in squalor and poverty due to some catastrophic business decisions by the head of the household and the other in a designer built house that becomes (through some elegant and precise framing techniques) another character in the movie. Core themes of class and the disparity between wealthy and poor are never far from view. The cast, led by the always excellent Song Kang Ho are exceptional and realistic, taking the story from laugh out loud hilarity to tense drama in literally the blink of an eye.
I’ve been lucky enough to see some great films this year, Jojo Rabbit, 1917, Knives Out, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, The Lighthouse but Parasite is going to be hard to better. I unreservedly loved this movie – perhaps all the more because it’s in the original Korean. Although I watch a lot of films with subtitles, Parasite isn’t as heavy on dialogue as many and would be a relatively easy watch for those unfamiliar with subs.
I would encourage every adult to go and see it in the cinema – don’t let the one inch barrier hold you back from a whole world of great cinema!
Debra Manskey 