Steven Yeun, right, appears in “Minari” with Alan Kim by Lee Isaac Chung. Credit: Courtesy of Sundance Institute/TNS
“Minari” showcases a slice of life rarely seen on film: a Korean family trying to start a farm in 1980s Arkansas. Simple as the plot may seem, it is as poignant as any film released this year.
Fittingly named after a resilient Korean vegetable that can grow anywhere, “Minari” follows a Korean family in the ’80s as they move from California to Arkansas to try to start a vegetable farm. Both the father, Jacob (Steven Yeun), and the mother, Monica (Yeri Han), work as chicken sexers, leaving them with little spare time.
Their children, David (Alan S. Kim) and Anne (Noel Cho), are left mostly to their own devices until the arrival of Jacob’s mother, Soon-ja (Yuh-jung Youn), from Korea. Korean and American cultures clash as Soon-ja tries to instruct Anne and David on the culture of Korea while learning about life in the states herself from Anne and David. All the while, Jacob and his assistant Paul (Will Patton) struggle to keep the farm afloat.
“Minari” is a semi-autobiographical tale of director Lee Issac Chung’s own childhood growing up on a farm in Arkansas. Personal as it may be, it’s also a tale about the American dream, assimilating into American culture and the power of family. As such, there’s something in this for everyone.
David himself goes through many struggles as he tries to assimilate. When his grandma arrives, he doesn’t like her, as she “smells like Korea” and doesn’t represent his idea of a “real grandma” because she can’t cook or bake cookies. Yet, when he goes to church, he and his family are gawked at and not treated as equals. He has an identity crisis because he doesn’t feel like he necessarily fits into Korean or American culture but rather falls somewhere in between, unable to fully relate to either one.
And yet, it’s during those in-between moments that “Minari” is able to shine brightest. As David, Anne and Soon-ja spend time together bonding through walks around the land or card games, I bonded with them. They’re such real, endearing characters that I couldn’t help but want the best for them. When the last act swings around with its many twists, it’s easy to sympathize with the family as things go awry.
The universality of “Minari” is one of its key selling points. Everyone who watches this film will find themselves reminded of someone they once knew, the family they grew up with, or at the very least feel nostalgic for past experiences they’ve had.
David’s dad is like many — simple, stubborn, stern, quiet and always thinking of his family, though he doesn’t always show it. His mom is also a universal character — kind, caring and always worrying about David. This is the kind of film that makes the viewer want to call up mom, grandma, dad, whoever, and express love and appreciation for them and everything they’ve done while wiping away tears.
“Minari” made me nostalgic for summer days with nothing to do but drink Mountain Dew, play cards with my grandma and aimlessly wander as David does. The camera work beautifully captures the feeling of being a child, shot with a wandering eye and a curiosity about the world.
When focusing on Jacob, however, the camera is telling a different story. Everything is open and free, but more focused. You can tangibly feel Jacob’s hope for a better future and reverence for the land around him — “The best dirt in America,” as Jacob calls it.
At times, the camera in his point of view can become shut-in, hopeless and somber when things don’t go as planned, all of his bright hopes turning to despair. The once bright and open land is now cramped, dark and infertile.
“Minari” takes a relatively simple plotline and surrounds it with perfect technical aspects. The score is unique and emotionally affecting but sparsely used. The performances are all great and each character feels fully realized from page to screen. Grandma Soon-ja in particular is the catalyst of the movie and will steal any heart.
Tackling the struggle of achieving the American dream from the unique perspective of a rural Korean family in the South, “Minari” is a wonderful exploration of assimilation into a new culture and the struggles that it brings. Each technical component of the film is flawless from the performances to the soundtrack. If a film’s goal is to emotionally affect and transport the viewer to a new world for two hours, then to that end, “Minari” is as good as any other film I have seen.
Rating: 5/5
“Minari” is playing in theatres such as Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse in Clintonville, Ohio, and Polaris 18 and XD and will be streamed on Amazon Prime starting Feb. 26.
