Logan Sork Film Reviews
Parasite
Every couple of years or so, there comes along a film that I consider to be perfect. Some recent examples include Inception, Life of Pi, and Arrival. The reason I consider films like these perfect is that you can get great surface value entertainment as well as a deeper meaning that makes you look at the film differently each time you watch it. Films like these occur every so often, and with Parasite, another contender has risen. Not only is the film great on the surface, but it tells an even better story if you’re willing to take a deeper look into its complex subject matter.
Parasite is written and directed by Bong Joon-Ho and stars Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, and Park So-dam. The film follows the Kim family, a poor but highly intelligent family living in poverty in the city. When a friend of the son, Ki-Woo (Choi), leaves the country to study abroad, he askes Ki-Woo to take over his position as an English tutor for the wealthy Park family. After meeting the family, and seeing how easily manipulated they are, the Kims devise a plan to infiltrate the Park household via employment, posing as unrelated, highly qualified domestic workers.
With Parasite, writer-director Bong Joon-Ho has created what I feel qualifies as a nearly perfect movie. I mean this with respect to the way the film’s story is told and the levels it operates on. It is not simply one genre of film, but rather its own genre. Elements of comedy, drama, horror, tragedy and philosophical questioning are all interlinked in this story, making it ambitious and, in the wrong hands, a bit unwieldy and any other filmmaker would’ve likely focused on one genre. Thankfully though, Bong finds ways to navigate through this complex film with a deft hand, ensuring that none of the tonal shifts and ideas are ever jarring or ever out of place. Every directorial decision in this film is all in purpose of telling the story and never feels like an excuse just to show off. This is what every director should strive for, and its Bong’s willingness to make choices in favor of the story and ideas that ultimately make this film as great as it is.
The technical side of things is everything that cinema should be about without ever overstepping its boundaries. Thanks to Bong’s guidance, every technical choice is in service of the story and the ideas it’s trying to explore. The locations are both beautiful to look at yet also tell a deeper story if you’re willing to look a little deeper, revealing details and small flourishes that may be lacking in other productions. The cinematography of this film is also stunning in certain parts, yet also deeply unsettling in others, making for an interesting story from a visual standpoint just as much as a written one. Editing in this film also plays a major role in the fantastic pace of the story, allowing the film to move along quickly without being too fast for the audience to get the point. The way the film balances its many characters is also something to be commended, as it never feels like anyone is underdeveloped or misplaced. Again, with Bong’s guidance, every choice feels like it’s telling the story rather than a choice being made to fulfill a requirement.
But the story being told can only be as good as the characters in them, and in the case of Parasite every character feels truly unique in their execution. Major props must be given to the actors in their respective roles, who do a lot to add to their characters without explicitly stating what their characters are about. Kang-Ho Song turns in one of the best performances of the film as Mr. Kim, who perfectly captures the ever-changing mannerisms of his character as the film progresses. Also excellent are Choi Woo-shik and Park So-dam as the Kim siblings, Ki-woo and Ki-jeong respectively. Both bring different styles of wittiness to their characters, making for some great comedic scenes and moments. Cho Yeo-jeong is also great as Mrs. Park, who plays the dumb housewife stereotype in a way that doesn’t feel cartoonish but rather based on real people who would actually act this way given their lifestyle. There is not a single dull performance in the film meaning no weak links to bring it down.
Despite all of the great technical aspects of the film, from the great directing and excellent writing to the beautiful production design and fantastic performances, it is the way the film explores the idea of class struggle that truly makes it great. This is not the first film to explore it by any means, but the way in which it explores the everlasting clash between rich and poor is something truly special. It never takes a true side in the argument. Yes, we root for the Kims because they are the underdogs who are taking on the corrupt system. As the film progresses, however, their choices have unforeseen consequences that make you question if they were right in the first place. You understand that the circumstances they were placed in has forced them to make those choices, but at what point do these choices make them as bad as the people they are going against? It’s a truly complex exploration that also transcends the film’s dialogue and story that also creeps unseen into certain character actions and the locations they are in. As I said, every choice, whether it be a technical one or a written one, adds to the overall exploration of the themes in a way that is both obvious on the surface, yet means so much more if you dig a little deeper.
Parasite is a perfect movie. Yes, there may be one or two mistakes here and there, but the overall film is just flawless. Every choice director Bong Joon-ho has made has created a film-going experience that is truly unique yet also universal. The directing, production design and cinematography are all top-notch, as are the actors and the story. However, it is the film’s exploration of class struggle that makes it a truly universal film, and one that should be seen by everyone at least once in their lifetime.
10/10