This post contains spoilers for the movie ‘Minari’.
As rain poured down, I opened the window and a cool breeze swept in after so long. I turned off the air conditioner, faced the breeze, and sat on the living room sofa with a beer in hand. Then, I finally decided to watch Minari, which I’d been meaning to watch for months. 🍺 Watching a movie with a beer in hand—a perfect grown-up afternoon. Kids wouldn’t get this combo with an Academy Award-winning film—especially since underage drinking isn’t allowed! 😄
The film begins with Steven Yeun and Han Yeri standing in front of a mobile home in an open field. Although the story is set in Arkansas, it was actually filmed in Oklahoma. The plot unfolds gently, yet it never feels boring.
Steven Yeun might not be fluent in Korean, but his pronunciation was pretty good. I’ve been told the same about my Japanese, and I remember being unsure if it was a compliment. Steven’s Korean wasn’t praiseworthy nor worth criticizing; it was just right. Mine probably was too. However, if his Korean had been like Daniel Dae Kim’s (known for his role as Jin-Soo Kwon in the American drama Lost), the film might have struggled to succeed.
This movie tells a story that feels real. While all films might seem plausible, this one feels like the most believable of them all. Living is a heavy burden. Every creature lives, but humans, with their ability to think, endure continuous suffering. We worry about the future, preventing us from enjoying the present; we compare ourselves to others, stopping us from being content; and family responsibilities anchor us down. 🤔
The protagonists, Jacob (played by Steven Yeun) and Monica (played by Han Yeri), each have their own way of protecting their family, creating a sense of unity and conflict due to their differences. The inherent, unblamable conflict makes the audience feel sympathetic. That’s why viewers celebrate the smallest improvements in the child’s condition and feel a catharsis from his first steps. 👏💖
The movie’s pace is somewhat ambiguous. Burning down the barn for drama might have backfired on the ‘believable story’ approach that had been maintained until mid-to-late stages. After that scene, their lives return to normal without much explanation, which felt a bit forced. I wished it had been different: the barn remaining, their conflicts resolving somehow, the vegetables ready for delivery next week, and the grandmother’s stroke worsening in a mundane progression—those would have been fine too. Such films are needed. Maybe the director wanted the fire to resolve their conflicts dramatically, but it left the audience with a story that felt incomplete. 🔥
It’s a cliché that award-winning films don’t chase entertainment, but every time I encounter such movies, I realize there are valid reasons for their accolades. ‘Minari’ was one of those films. It seemed ordinary, yet it pressed down on my heart. I recommend ‘Minari’ wholeheartedly. 🎬💫
(You can also watch it on Coupang Play. This is not an ad, just info!)
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