Parasite (2019) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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Directed by: Bong Joon-ho
Written by: Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won
Starring: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam
Runtime: 132 min
Synopsis: Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik), the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist, to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide "indispensable" luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims' newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks.
Yes, I know. I’m late as hell. I don’t really have anything to offer you besides my personal opinion. Theses and video essays are breaking down Parasite at such a deep level that I can’t really write anything new. Nevertheless, I’ll share my thoughts on it because it would be a massive miss from someone who considers himself a film critic. I had this movie on my watchlist since last summer, but I kept delaying it, underestimating my time. So, no, I’m not just watching Parasite because it won Best Picture at the Oscars, I always planned on it.
In addition to that, yes, I also love it like most people, and no, I’m not writing this because I’m “following the pack”. Bong Joon-ho simply delivered one of 2019’s best films, and it’s definitely cracking a spot in my Top10. I really enjoyed what Bong did with Okja, and I’m a massive fan of Snowpiercer. Therefore, this isn’t just another South Korean flick. It’s directed and co-written by someone who has been proving himself for quite some time. Even though I still defend that Sam Mendes deserved to win Best Director for his work in 1917, I’m more than happy that a foreign movie finally won Best Picture, and what a film to do it!
It can be described as a dark dramedy, but I think social satire is more adequate. The differences between the rich and the poor are beautifully shown on-screen exclusively through visuals. There’s so little exposition, which is one of the reasons why Parasite has one of 2019’s best screenplays. The balance between explaining something and leaving it ambiguous is perfect. Throughout the runtime, Bong Joon-ho leans on an actor’s face so that the audience can understand what that character is feeling through its expressions, which will explain its actions later on.
There’s a sequence that surely has been heavily discussed for the past months. It’s raining, and Bong cleverly divides the screen with how the wealthy family is dealing with it against the poor neighborhood where the Kim family comes from. The gorgeous cinematography, the unforgettable musical score, the seamless editing… Everything about this sequence is technically flawless, and it carries such an emotionally powerful message. Something astonishing and beautiful to look at for some can be a horrible disaster for others.
It’s a movie that balances a lot of tones. In ten minutes, the tone goes from funny to dramatic to suspenseful to scary to absolute tragedy… and it all feels incredibly realistic. That’s one of my major compliments to Parasite: I never felt like it was fiction. I never thought “this is too much, this would never occur”. Even in the third act, where the narrative takes some bold decisions, everything makes sense with what had been shown until then. From shocking character actions to surprising plot points, Bong and Han Jin-won’s screenplay is excellent.
Everyone in the cast is fantastic, but Song Kang-ho is the standout, in my opinion. His role as the father of the Kim family is brilliant. I’m actually surprised he wasn’t nominated for Best Actor in more award shows. I created a connection with this family in such a way that the ending truly impacted me. It’s tough to deny that the writing is what makes Parasite the phenomenon that so many people fell in love with, myself included.
Technically, I don’t have any defects to point out. It’s one of those films that I firmly believe in having virtually no flaws. I’m in love with the score, I gasped several times at the impressive cinematography, and the editing is perfect. Whatever genre the story decides to go to, it’s always entertaining and extremely captivating. Its comedy is very smart, and it made me laugh a lot of times. Its dramatic storylines kept my eyes always focused on what was happening. Even when it briefly delves into the horror territory, it’s more suspenseful and scary than most of that genre’s flicks nowadays.
Final Thoughts
All in all, Parasite genuinely surprised me. With so many people hyping it to a ridiculously high level, my expectations were very moderate. Nevertheless, I love it as much or more than everyone else. I know that watching it this late can make some people question my opinion/rating, but I would never love a movie because I “should” or because other people do. It deserves every award it received, especially the ones concerning the screenplay. It’s one of the best original stories of the last few years, and it’s written in such a brilliant manner, with beautiful visual storytelling instead of the overused exposition. An emotionally resonant message is present throughout the whole runtime, and the various tones are balanced seamlessly. Technically flawless: cinematography, score, editing… everything’s absolutely perfect. Nothing is placed without purpose. Not a single line of dialogue is wasted. Bong Joon-ho is a phenomenal filmmaker, one that cares about the art and everything that comes with it. He truly put his heart and soul into this, and it would be a shame if anyone fails to watch this magnificent movie just because it’s in a foreign language. Please, don’t make such an awful mistake…
