I was a bit concerned going into this movie, as there has been so much hype about this South Korean export. We’ve watched enough subtitled Netflix to become comfortable with the concept of reading along, and giant subtitles on a movie screen is a bit like “subtitles for dummies” so I knew that wouldn’t be a problem. But, I didn’t know if a movie about South Korea would really hold my interest for two hours and twelve minutes.
Parasite is a tale of South Korea’s inequality and conflict between the classes. We first meet the Kim family father, mother, son Ki-woo (Kevin) and daughter Ki-jeong (Jessica) living in a basement level apartment in a very low rent neighborhood. Currently their most pressing problem is their cell phones have been turned off for lack of payment and the Wi-Fi they’re been using is now password protected and they’re lost the internet. Even a mundane job of folding pizza boxes goes wrong, when 25% of the boxes are folded incorrectly which docks a portion of their salary.
However, a surprise visit from Ki-woo’s friend brings him a job opportunity. His friend brings the family a gift of a “scholar’s rock” which promises wealth to whoever possesses it. His friend has been tutoring a wealthy teenage girl, Da-hye but he is leaving to attend college abroad, and asks Ki-woo to take his place as her tutor. Sister Ki-jeong, is a master forger and soon Ki-woo has all the college credentials he needs. He meets the wealthy Park family, and is soon tutoring the daughter, actually making more money than his friend. This is when Mrs. Park decides Ki-woo is now Kevin, because all things English and American are better.
At the Park home he meets young Da-song a rambunctious boy enthralled by American Indians and bows and arrows. Mom regales that she only purchases Indian goods from the United States, because she wants only authentic. Da-song also loves to paint and draw but Mrs. Park laments she can’t keep an art tutor for her son for more than a month before they quit. You can practically see the light bulb go off over his head, and the next thing you know sister, Ki-jeong, (who is quickly renamed Jessica) is now a highly sought after art therapist who just might have time to squeeze Da-song into her schedule, but she’s very expensive.
Sister and brother are raking in the money tutoring the Park children four times a week, but why not make this a total family fleece? Goodbye loyal chauffer, hello Mr Kim who is portrayed as a highly sought after veteran driver for the upper class. Getting Mom into the Park house is a bit harder, as the current housekeeper has been in the house since it was built and she does her job extremely well. But the poor woman couldn’t hold a candle to the devious Kim family and she is soon out the door.
When I first heard about this movie, I wondered about the title. I immediately though sci-fi, but this is a dark comedy/thriller, so I guess no parasite from outer space invading South Korea. But just a few minutes into the movie, you realize Parasite is the Kim family. By definition a parasite is an organism that lives in or on its host and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host’s expense, nutrients here equate to money.
There are plenty of twists and turns in the storyline and here’s a clue, it all comes down to “respect”. I liked the build up to the ending, but felt the actual ending was disappointing.
Both hubby and I agree this is a good movie, not a great one. The storyline isn’t that creative, yes it does have the Korean slant to it, but upper class/lower class movie clashes isn’t new. It is a bit comical when the South Koreans make North Korean jokes, especially jokes about Kim Jong-Un, but they fell a bit flat for this American. I’m sure it played better in Korea.
Parasite, is rated B- I’m glad I saw it, I’m glad I paid matinee pricing; I don’t need to see it again.
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