Parasite (Review)
Parasite is One of the Best Films of 2019.
One of my biggest regrets of 2019 (cinematically speaking) was missing Parasite in theaters. My guilt was reinvigorated when it won big at the Golden Globes and hearing director Bong Joon-Ho remark that people should get over their fear of subtitles in order to open themselves up to greater stories. Well, the moment I saw it was getting a second chance at theaters in the wake of the win, I bought my ticket. Sitting down, I had high hopes (a supposed “no-no” since critics are encouraged to be impartial) and as shocking as it might sound, I can report that Parasite was greater than I ever could have imagined. It’s a dastardly cunning tale rooted in absurdity but it manages not to stray too far from being just believable to allow for a suspension of disbelief. Having a chance to see this and 1917 recently as well, I have to admit that 2019 was a hell of a year for movies.
Parasite tells the story of a family of, for lack of a better term, degenerates. Living in poverty and apparently satisfied with doing the absolute bare minimum to keep themselves alive, their luck changes when the son, Ki-woo (Woo-sik Choi), gets a job tutoring the daughter of a wealthy family. Seeing an opportunity, he convinces the naive mother (Yeo-jeong Jo) that to hire an accomplished art therapist to help her son. In actuality, the art therapist is his sister, Ki-jung (So-dam Park) who has no idea what she is talking about but Googled “art therapy” beforehand so she gets the gist and can bullshit her way through the rest. Soon they manage to get their parents (Kang-ho Song and Hye-jin Jang) jobs as well working in the household under false pretenses. Everything seems to be working out wonderfully for the Kim family until everything comes crashing down around them.
Watching the members of the Kims carry out their various roles while conning the wealthy Park family is truly a sight to behold. It’s like watching a ballet of deception as every one of them manages to hit their mark at just the right moment to gracefully carry off every lie. The best part is seeing the intelligence, creativity, and hard work they put into this facade. One can’t help wondering what this family might have been capable of if they used their powers for “good.” Of course, this is only possible due to the astonishing performances that the four family members give. Kang-ho Song is especially great as the lackadaisical father who tends to be blissfully ignorant of the moral implications of their deceit. Hell, he’s downright proud of each of them. However, it was So-dam Park that I found myself the most fascinated with. The amount of confidence and cool that her character approaches every aspect of her life is riveting and at certain times almost scary. However, none of the actors ever manage to outshine the others and every one of them plays their part beautifully.
Bong Joon-Ho has proven himself a master filmmaker with this dark fairy tale. It’s impossible not to pick up on the social commentary of Parasite as the poor and wealthy collide. The ideas presented are universal as he examines the differences between the two classes before eventually settling on the idea that there really is no difference between them outside of means. Nothing is black and white in Parasite, and it becomes apparent that both the Parks and the Kims are muddled shades of gray by the end of the film. Yes, the Kims are deceitful and conniving, but the Parks are condescending and oblivious. The line between good and bad becomes a blurry mess and it’s hard to decide who the victims really are in this tale. That brings us to the title itself, Parasite. Which family is it referring to? On the one hand, the Kims are leeching off the wealth of the Parks. However, the Parks are leeching off the Kims in order to maintain their lifestyle. After all, the Kims are “the help” and parasites can’t survive without “help.” This moral ambiguity is what makes Parasite so incredibly fascinating from start to finish.
Contrast is a key component of Parasite. The differences between the families is what drives the stories. The Kims live in a sub-basement and have to descend down to their living quarters. The view outside their window is a dirty alley, often filled with drunks pissing where they please. Opposite of them, you have to ascend a staircase just to get to the Parks yard. Their view is a perfectly manicured landscape, a slice of paradise like the Garden of Eden. They literally live in a shining castle on a hilltop and the Kims have to climb up to simply to be in their presence. These visuals only add to the enthralling tale of the two families, especially once the twist that kicks off the third act is revealed. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but Bong Joon-Ho conceives of the perfect conflict to raise the stakes and then masterfully places the final straw to break the metaphorical camel’s back.
I was blown away by Parasite. It’s not just a piece of art and cinema at it’s finest, but a lot of fun to take in. The film is a wonderful balance of moments that will make you laugh, push you to the edge of your seat, and force you to gasp in disbelief. Parasite is a film that pushes the audience to the edge of their comfort zone, and will force them to grapple with their own ideas of right and wrong. It’s a tale that is on par with the great works of Shakespeare and one that will, for better and for worse, haunt you long after the credits have finished. It’s no wonder that HBO has ordered a limited series based on the movie. Still, I wouldn’t sit around waiting for it. Instead, I suggest you go and see Parasite as soon as possible. You’ll be glad that you got passed the ‘The 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles’ as Bong Joon-Ho puts it.
