Minari

“A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.”

The story of Minari opens as a Korean family, Jacob (Steven Yeun), his wife Monica (Yeri Han) and their two children, Anne (Noel Cho) and David (Alan S. Kim) move from California to the middle of nowhere in Arkansas, working at a chicken plant separating sexes while Jacob can focus on his dream: to have a farm and grow Korean vegetables. The move has caused a rift between the married couple, with added stress of the heart condition their youngest son David has, as they find themselves in a mobile home on land that locals believe is cursed because of its bad history. As Monica tries to support her husband as best she can, Jacob finds it more difficult than he realized to make his dream come to fruition. As a compromise, Monica’s mother comes to live with them to help take care of the children while the two parents work. Never having met his grandmother before, David starts off shy toward her, but her crass nature and colorful comments pique his interest, as she does something that no one else in his family has done: treat him like a normal child, and not something fragile that may break at any instant.

This film takes an interesting look at the American dream from a different perspective American audiences may be used to. As we look through the eyes of this Korean family at the small, ‘hillbilly’ town as they call it, many times with their beliefs clashing with American culture and religion, we can clearly see the frustration and the growing rift that forms between Jacob and Monica. With the honor of family so extremely important in Korean culture, it makes the film that much more engaging when we see things break down between them. As much as Jacob wants to realize his dream, he ends up putting his dream before his family, forcing them to endure some harsh sacrifices, which ultimately comes to a head in the third act. As much as people talk about Steven Yeun’s performance, which granted, is exceptional, I have to say that Yeri Han has some very powerful sequences that are very moving. She excellently portrays a wife who is at her wits end after moving to the middle of nowhere away from her culture, hours from civilization, and most importantly a hospital that might be needed at a moments notice for her youngest child. She sees her husband’s dream forcing the family to make uncomfortable sacrifices, and only wants what is best for them.

While the relationship between Jacob and Monica is the main focus of the film, certainly in the first half, it’s the relationship between the grandmother, Soonja (Yuh-Jung Youn) and David that really captures the heart of the audience and makes the film special. On her trips with David to a nearby creek where she sprinkled minari seeds, she teaches David that he’s stronger than he thinks, giving him the confidence he needs to face his fears and his own mortality. The minari seeds quickly sprout and grow lush plants, spreading throughout the creek, an interesting dichotomy in regards to the seeds that Jacob continues to try and grow. One flourishes with love, the other, doesn’t.

The performances in the film is what makes it so special. Steven Yeun and Yeri Han have some very intense and emotional sequences, and it is their chemistry and performances that make it so believable and have you become entirely invested in this family. For a very young child, Alan S. Kim is astonishing. You really feel his lack of confidence throughout the film, and the great thing is you get to see it build. He’s able to capture something special in terms of a little boy that could be facing death at any moment and how he deals with that is extremely poignant. Yuh-Jung Youn is perhaps the best thing about the film, hilarious, crass, and loving, and her emotional story takes several twists and turns that speak to how much she makes the audience adore her character. Will Patton takes on some interesting roles sometimes, but this has to take the cake. He’s one of the most eccentric and strange characters I’ve seen him play, and it’s so fun to watch, as well as discover his characters meaning in the story.

Minari tells a wonderful story, engaging, emotional, and definitely keeps you invested in the characters; however, the ending comes rather abruptly. While the meaning certainly comes through clearly, there seemed like there just wasn’t enough time for the characters to embrace the meaning, nor the audience.

Video

Minari is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. This transfer looks good, with a very detailed and sharp picture. The film never says what year it takes place as far as I know, but given certain props and locations, it seems to be the 1980s or thereabouts. This is also evident in the hues and tints the film utilizes, using very muted colors at times, also helping to build the feeling of the rugged outdoors in the middle of nowhere Arkansas. Some colors can be quite vibrant, however, adding to a superb Blu-ray transfer.

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. This track sounds very good, with the majority of the film coming through the center channel in the form of dialogue. When the surrounds are utilized, for atmospheric effects or an impressive and powerful storm, they come through nicely in a well-balanced nature. The film is spoken a large part in Korean with English subtitles, but goes back and forth for those who speak both.

Special Features

If you enjoyed the film, you’ll enjoy taking a look at these extras, which include:

• Deleted Scenes
• Sowing Seeds: Making Minari
• Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Lee Isaac Chung and Actress Yuh-Jung Youn

Minari is a superb and emotional family story told largely through the lens of another culture trying to make ends meet in America. It blends this extremely well, all the while providing some heartfelt interactions between these characters who have to go through some turmoil before they can find the true meaning of family. Minari is highly recommended.