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'Minari' (12)



Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Cast: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan S. Kim, Noel Cho, Yuh-Jung Youn

Where can I watch?: Minari is streaming on Prime Video 

Rating: 4/5

Review: If 2020 taught us anything, it's that life is far from predictable: best-laid plans come to nothing; hopes and dreams can seem unattainable; and decisions that once seem certain are thrown into question. Luckily, even in the toughest of times, there is still joy to be had. A film that very much encapsulates the 'every day' feeling of life, Lee Isaac Chung's beautifully understated Minari follows a South Korean family as they settle into their new home in Arkansas; Jacob (Steven Yeun) has a dream of starting his own farm and immediately sets out cultivating the land, while his wife (Yeri Han) and two young children navigate their new surroundings. Into this uneasy mix lands Grandma Soonja (Oscar winner Yuh-Jung Youn) and her quirky home medicines. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why Minari engages in the way that it does; there is no grand story here, simply a study into the lives of a very ordinary family as they struggle and adapt to their new situation. And yet, it is so well observed, so keenly felt and deftly depicted, that you find the characters creeping under your skin like the roots of Jacob's vegetables. Perhaps it's because, no matter who you are or where you come from, you'll recognise many of the feelings portrayed on screen, from elation to despair, anguish to happiness. Praised for his cheeky performance, Alan S. Kim's role as David is undoubtedly the heart of the film - through his eyes, we understand the struggles of his parents, but also experience the childish joy of the new adventure and the new possibilities. Despite his heart condition, David wants to live life joyously. David's relationship with Grandma Soonja is touching and sensitively realised, injecting the film with light humour and hopefulness - it seems fitting that the film is dedicated to 'all grandmas' as this wizened matriarch brings both delight and disaster. Much has been said and written about the significance of the name 'Minari', the Korean name for water celery, but it is left for the viewer to decide what the meaning is: is it a metaphor for hope? For family? For endurance? It's possible that it could even mean all three...

A Must-Watch?: A tender, beautifully realised film, Minari offers the viewer an understated-yet-emotive watch. A reflection of the hardships and humour of life, Chung's poetic film is both comforting and cause for reflection in equal measure, making it one you'll ponder upon for some time afterwards. 

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