2 Stars — Troubling
The academy’s vote to make Bong Joon Ho’s subtitled film “Parasite” best picture is not based on its moral message. His imaginative comedy combines a macabre humor with abusive deception that is difficult to watch. Part of the reason for this is the creative dialogue and character development. We get to know the members of the two families well, but there is little to respect or love.
The ensemble eight-member cast comprises two families from different socio-economic backgrounds in South Korea. The primary focus is on the Kim family. Living in poverty in an apartment beneath street level, they demonstrate an unusual ability to survive. This survival seems to justify the deception and destruction they impose on the Park family.
The deception begins when a college student requests Ki-woo (Woo-sik Choi) to take over his tutor responsibility with the teenage daughter of the Parks, Da-hye (Ji-so Jung). Though deviously smart, Ki-woo fakes his credentials and begins a more than tutoring relationship with the young woman.
This first step of deception is followed by much more that we won’t spoil except to note that his sister, Ki-jung (So-dam Park), becomes an art therapist to the Parks’ young son, Da-song (Hyun-jun Jung). His father, Ki-taek (Kang-ho Song), becomes the chauffeur for Park Dong-ik (Sun-kyun Lee), and his mother, Chung-sook (Hye-jin Jang), becomes the housekeeper for Park Yeon-kyo (Yeo-jeong Jo). What is fascinating is that the Kim family shows each member to be extremely capable, using those abilities to deceive.
The story takes several twists and turns as the inevitable conclusion comes upon them and us, but what is interesting is that the film doesn’t just show the lack of integrity within the Kim family but also within the Parks. Shown differently perhaps because of their social standing, the lack of wisdom is apparent within all. There seems to be no higher calling on their lives than simple survival, both for the rich and the poor, caring little what happens to others.
In a nation that is approximately half nonreligious, with the other half being composed of Christians and Buddhists, it is understandable that a story like this could be told with only a fleeting sense of moral responsibility within the characters. However, one can only wonder what could have been done with characters who struggled deeply with what they were doing to one another and how each person’s life was sacred, needing to be honored and respected.
Discussion
» It is difficult to watch people who use others to survive: whether the wealthy using the poor with disdain for their hygiene; or the poor using the wealthy while mocking their naiveté. Do you believe this film will assist the world in changing that? Why do you answer as you do?
» Set within South Korea, do you see anything that would not be true of life in other nations? Is the human condition the same the world over, or are their significant differences? On what do you base your answer?
» When you spend time with people who have more or less money than you, how do you keep honor and respect between you?
— Cinema in Focus is a social and spiritual movie commentary. Hal Conklin is a former mayor of Santa Barbara and Denny Wayman is the retired pastor of Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara and lead superintendent of Free Methodist Church in Southern California. For more reviews, visit www.cinemainfocus.com, or follow them on Twitter: @CinemaInFocus. The opinions expressed are their own.