Minari Movie Review

Minari (2020)

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Written by: Lee Isaac Chung
Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan S. Kim, Will Patton
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
A Korean family starts a farm in 1980s Arkansas.

Verdict
The father of a family wants to start a farm despite lacking the knowledge, seemingly as a way to prove something to himself. The community isn't hostile, but the family can't help but feel like outsiders due to different backgrounds and customs. Throughout the movie I was waiting for that big moment where everything comes crashing down. I began wondering if it would happen, for every setback there's a success. It's a contentious relationship between the farm and the family as well as Korean and American customs. This doesn't follow the typical narrative formula from cinema. Because of that it makes this all the more intriguing. I kept hoping for more, but when this ended I appreciated what this does.
Watch It.

Review
The first scene contains no dialog, providing information through visuals. A family is moving to a plot of land outside of the city. Jacob (Steven Yeun) bought the land for the rich soil. He wants to start a farm and I wondered if he had any knowledge of farming. Jacob's wife Monica (Yeri Han) isn't happy with their new property as it's not how Jacob described it.

Steven Yeun and Yeri Han play Jacob and Monica.

The movie doesn't feed you information. I wondered how much knowledge Jacob has about farming. He digs a well, forgoing an expensive water diviner. Did he dig the well deep enough? Instead of providing a clue, the movie leaves us to wonder. This is a side project as Jacob and his wife work at a chicken plant. Jacob is putting all of his money into the farm, and his wife isn't happy about it. When Jacob first starts planting, he doesn't provide enough space between the plants. Luckily Paul (Will Patton) is there to help. Paul is an interesting character, but with Paul I wasn't sure if he was helping as a friend or if Jacob was paying him somehow. They don't seem like they'd be friends.

Throughout the movie I'm waiting for disaster. Is the tractor going to fail? Will the water run out? What's going to go wrong?

Monica's mother moves in with them. I expected that to generate strife, but that creates tension between the grandmother and the young son David. The grandma owns the kids at cards. She isn't bashful about it either. She's mean to David, critical of his bed wetting. David is clear he doesn't like her, stating "Grandma smells like Korea." That line captures a child's thoughts so well. With a single line, we get David's train of thought. When David pulls a rather mean prank on Grandma, Grandma sticks up for David and pleads for Jacob not to punish him. Grandma may be crass, but she does care.

Minari feels like less of a story and more a rumination as a son or father growing up in Arkansas. This captures these little moments so well. That's what makes them feel like someone's memories. It turns out that Cheung began the script for this movie by recalling his childhood.
We don't get much insight into Monica. She provides a counter to Jacob's plight. David's sister has even less of a role. The entire movie I was waiting for catastrophe. For every small victory Jacob has with the farm, there's always a coinciding setback. 

This is a movie about struggle. The family struggles as Koreans in Arkansas. Jacob struggles to build this farm. It's his dream, but this is a parallel to the typical 'American dream' movies. For a family from a different culture, adjustment isn't easy. Jacob wants to succeed on his own. I can't help but think it's a rite of passage for him, a way to prove to himself he's American. This creates a parallel between a Korean family in Arkansas and a man with little farming experience trying to start a farm. It's difficult to assimilate, and there's a pull to return to the roots of what you know. Jacob has to succeed to prove to himself he belongs. For Monica, she questions Jacob's devotion to the family and the farm. The success of one comes at the expense of the other.