During my Sophomore year, in the midst of the COVID nightmare, I went to Sidewalk Film Center to watch a film and get away from all the noise. “Minari” was a peaceful respite from it all.
“Minari” is an awe-inspiring, intimate slice of life film revolving around a family of South Korean immigrants, navigating their way through 1980s Arkansas. Steven Yeun stars as Jacob, a stern but loving father who is trying to make a living but just can’t quite seem to catch a break. Youn Yuh-jung plays Soon-ja, the unconventional grandmother who’s always saying something off-color. Her character pulls at your heartstrings during her growing relationship with her grandson, David (Alan Kim). The focus is on the family dynamics. Because the interactions between every character in the cast is so rich and complex, one could argue any of the relationships in the film to be the “central” focus.
As the audience becomes a fly on the wall, you can’t help but be drawn to the Yi family. The raw, honest conversations are relatable to any family. The film is a heartfelt love letter to immigrant families and the struggles they go through. The cultural differences are starkly obvious in a place like Arkansas, and the film does a great job at showing the discomfort and confusion from young David’s perspective. It’s a very thoughtful portrait of a lost family trying their best and holding onto each other. The story is reminiscent of Director Lee Isaac Chung’s own experience as a first-generation American, and in some ways, it feels like an autobiographical piece for Chung.
The sweeping, beautiful score by Emile Mosseri takes you to another world. You feel like a child again, experiencing the unknown through David’s eyes. The viewer can’t help but think back on their childhood and remember the experience of being in a new school for the first time or having a turning point in their understanding of the world. From the beginning to the end of the film, the score is enchanting and inspiring. Some highlights include “Wind Song,” an upbeat lullaby, sung in Korean by Monica (Han Ye-Ri), the mother of the family, and “Grandma Picked a Good Spot,” a contemplative, emotional track heavy with strings. The score feels authentic to the film and reels you in to every moment. Whether it’s David and Jacob spending time together or an intense argument between Jacob and Monica, Mosseri never misses a beat..
The cinematography work done by Lachlan Milne captures the subject matter in a subtle, yet beautiful way. Milne’s creatively composes seemingly uninteresting settings in a beautiful manner. He perfectly captures the emotional depth of the family conversations, the golden hues of the sun-drenched farmland and the grime of rural life. The subtle, nostalgic color grading gives the film a warm and familiar tone.
“Minari” is a beautiful, inspiring film that touches your heart with its intimate, character-driven storytelling, fanatic performances and soundscape that is sure to be on repeat for weeks after viewing. It’s a film about family, determination and life itself. It’s frankly one of the most inspiring cinematic experiences I’ve had, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Rating: 8.5/10
