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| Han Ye-ri and Steven Yeun in "Minari" Photo Credit: Imdb.com |
The pursuit of the American dream has been one of the most significant narratives depicted in film. Given the many different ways in which people have strived to achieve that dream, there are countless ways how you can approach this type of story. One such way is through the eyes of immigrants. This is done most recently with writer-director Lee Isaac Chung’s stunning and beautiful drama, “Minari,” a semi-autobiographical narrative that’s both inspiring and heartwarming.
The story follows a Korean immigrant family, including Jacob (Steven Yeun), his wife Monica (Han Ye-ri), their daughter Anne (Noel Kate Cho), and their son David (Alan Kim) as they start a new life in Arkansas in the 1980s. Jacob soon decides to provide for his family by maintaining a farm, which will bring both rewards and hardships.
Yeun delivers powerful work as a father who does whatever he can to support his family. He has his character show a determination that makes you feel the sweat that runs down his forehead as he works, while also showing a stoic persona that reinforces how he wishes to uphold a stern upbringing for his children to make sure that they stay on the right path. Yeun shows an individual who presents a boundless love for his family, but also sometimes exhibits how his interest in his dreams might overshadow his family’s needs. It’s these dueling aspects that make his character as intriguing as he is, making us wonder if the obsessiveness of his dream might be his downfall.
Ye-ri provides equally impactful work as Jacob’s wife. She gives her character a strong feeling of uncertainty as she questions her husband’s choice to relocate their family. While Jacob remains enthusiastic, Monica is much less so, and we begin to share her feeling of unease as she not only worries about their financial and living situations, but also how she and her family will be accepted into the community. As Jacob tends to his garden, Ye-ri shows her character’s commitment to being a working mother while also taking care of her children, often trying to pick up the slack on the home front when Jacob isn’t there. We see the stress that Monica feels, but Ye-ri is able balance that with the love that comes from the stress, showing a parent who knows what she has to do to care for her family.
Youn Yuh-jung is joyful and very funny as Monica’s mother, who comes to live them not long after they move in. Yuh-jung is the source of many of the film’s laughs, depicting a grandmother who does what she can to brighten everyone’s day. Yuh-jung exhibits a grandparent who shows unconditional love for her family, seeming like it’s impossible to upset her. Whenever she’s onscreen, we feel the pressures of everyday life depicted in the movie melt away as we enjoy a reprieve to celebrate the elation that she brings.
Kim and Cho prove to be naturals as they portray their young characters who must navigate their unfamiliar surroundings and deal with the occasional heated fights between their parents. In their new environment, they have to grow up a little quickly, with Anne trying to keep an eye on her younger brother, and David exhibiting a curiosity in his father’s work as he joins him from time to time on the farm. These are performances that encapsulate what it’s like to be young and having to process a new way of life, while also having to place a lot of trust in your parents as they try to make everything work out.
Chung’s screenplay is an enriching view into the immigrant experience, showing the family’s Korean culture, while also presenting a scenario that speaks to all families who’ve strived for a better life in America, be they immigrants or natural-born citizens. Chung’s narrative gives plenty of focus to all of the characters, allowing us to see how each of them transitions into their new home. This is a fully realized view of how this family interacts with an unfamiliar community, whether it be attending a new church, working at a new job, or making new friends, and such a multi-faceted story allows us to get to know the family in great detail.
There’s a deep compassion to how Chung depicts this family and their environment, particularly in the cinematography from Lachlan Milne, who presents several scenes in the sunlit fields, as well as the peacefulness of a nearby forest. The way in which Milne frames the family against the expansiveness and beauty of these settings helps you to understand how Jacob and the others immerse themselves into their new home and surrounding nature, having us share that sense of discovery with them. Just as gorgeous as the camerawork is the music from Emile Mosseri, who provided gorgeous work for 2019’s “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” another movie about finding oneself in America.
Through its depiction of intergenerational bonds and how they remain strong through moments of uncertainty and triumph, “Minari” isn’t just a story about one family, but a story of many families.
Grade: A
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