PARASITE (2019)
Starring Song Kang Ho, Lee Sun Kyun, Cho Yeo Jeong, Choi Woo Shik
Directed by Bong Joon Ho
Written by Bong Joon Ho, Han Jin Won
Distributed by NEON. 132 minutes. Opening 10/11 at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark.
I didn’t know it was humanly possible to hold your breath for two hours, but after seeing Parasite, let me tell you, it is. South Korean director Bong Joon Ho’s highly anticipated thriller has been hot on the lips of many cinephiles for most of 2019; the five-minute standing ovation after its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival concurred that its hype is fully deserved. Thematically darker that Okja and more realistically unnerving than Snowpiercer, Parasite is a fantastically satirical and biting look at the economic divide, ethics vs. morals, and social commentary on privilege that, in my opinion, is the best film of the year.
Living literally below the poverty line in an underground basement apartment, the Kim family – Ki-taek (Song Kang Ho), his wife, Chung-sook (Chang Hyae Jin), their smart (and smart aleck) daughter Ki-jung (Park So Dam), and college-age son, Ki-woo (Choi Woo Shik) – struggle to make ends meet, as evident by their desperation when they’re no longer to freeload off of their neighbor’s free wifi. The Kims are used to taking the path of least resistance, barely getting by with contract work folding pizza boxes for a local shop. Unexpectedly, a friend presents Ki-woo with an opportunity to work as an interim English tutor for the daughter of the very affluent Park family. Hesitant at first – Ki-woo is unsure if his street smarts will translate into academic smarts – he eventually agrees to meet with the family. Almost immediately, he wins over the affection of the naive Mrs. Park (Cho Yeo Jeong), who welcomes Ki-woo into their high-class world.
No good can come when gullibility meets greed, as Ki-woo’s family sees his employment as an opportunity to score for themselves. What follows is a comedic and thrilling unraveling – with Ocean’s 11-style forethought and mechanics – that makes every moment feel like a white-knuckle thrill ride. Bong Joon Ho captures societal issues and human crises in pitch black tones, exposing them in a way that is both shocking and thought-provoking. It’s a fantastic example of a perfect film, from script to screen and beyond.
“If you make a plan, life never turns out that way,” Ki-taek tells Ki-woo during one of the Kim family’s lowest points. Brutally honest life advice (that I agree, should be taught to the young), this is also the perfect sentiment to summarize Parasite: expect the unexpected. Original and authentic arthouse films as good as Parasite don’t come around often, and we’re all lucky we are here to witness its big-screen release.
