Film & TV

Film Review: Minari

Lee Isaac Chung’s semi-autobiographical feature is a moving portrait of a Korean-American family in rural Arkansas.

From the opening moments, Minari is instantly captivating. Scored by delicate piano, we  ride with the Yi family as they drive from California to their new home in rural Arkansas, and so begins writer/director Lee Isaac Chung’s visceral and unflinching look at the reality of the pursuit of happiness and the American Dream.  

After years working in a hatchery, Jacob (Steven Yeun) moves his wife and two children to an empty farm, with the goal of growing Korean vegetables to sell to the growing immigrant population. His wife Monica (Yeri Han) is unhappy, struggling with feelings of isolation, and concern over the health of their son David (Alan Kim) who has a heart murmur. Their daughter Anne (Noel Kate Cho), takes on more than a child should, looking after her brother and consistently bearing witness to her parents arguing.

Set in the 1980s, in a location that is depicted as both hostile and familiar, the film uses the setting and circumstances to explore the complexities and pressures of family life. Minari is intimately filmed, focusing on small, specific details in the Yi home, with a particular emphasis on the perspective of the children. Chung often chooses to shoot scenes using low angles, or from positions such as the backseat of the car, putting you in the shoes of the most vulnerable members of the family. Children often absorb more than we realise, and in Chung allowing us to empathise with them, he is able to cut to the searing heart of the story.

The characters are all deeply flawed people, with no one painted as an obvious antagonist or villain. Jacob is headstrong and idealistic; Monica is practical and lonely. The combination of the authentic script and compassionate direction allows Steven Yeun and Yeri Han to deliver two compelling performances that transcend the screen. Yeun portrays Jacob’s unrelenting pursuit of his goal with nuance and a determined fortitude. He is a consistently powerful presence, even when given little to no dialogue. Han as Monica balances both strength and fragility, as her performance captures an inner turmoil that is not easily explained. We understand these characters, even when we don’t agree with them.  

The children are exquisitely played by Alan Kim and Noel Kate Cho. Kim’s sweetness and youth endear David to the audience immediately, but in playing a child who is all too aware of his own mortality, the performance is given extra complexity. While Cho is given less to do, she ably depicts the reality of a young girl who has awareness beyond her years, with her world-weary sighs and mature tone.

As Monica’s mother Soon-ja, who comes to live with the family to assist with the children, Yuh-jung Youn is stirring to watch. No character in this film is presented as one-dimensional, but the introduction of the mother-in-law could easily be used just to create tension. While tension is one of the driving forces of Minari, Youn’s impact on the film is more profound than this. The development of her relationship with David leads to some of the best moments in the film.

The people we love are not always perfect, nor are those who love us. Following our dreams is not as straightforward as overcoming the odds to become an inspirational story. The realities of marriage, family and work are rarely simple.  Loosely based on Lee Isaac Chung’s childhood, Minari is not always an easy watch, but it is an important one. It challenges and confronts, but Chung’s tender and affectionate approach allows for the story to feel universal. It is an extraordinary film.   

Minari opens on February 18th

MOVING 4.5 stars

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