Credits:
Directed by: Bong Joon-ho
Produced by: Kwak Sin-ae; Moon Yang-kwon; Bong Joon-ho; Jang Young-hwan
Screenplay by: Bong Joon-ho; Han Jin-won
Story by: Bong Joon-ho
Starring: Song Kang-ho; Lee Sun-kyun; Cho Yeo-jeong; Choi Woo-shik; Park So-dam; Lee Jung-eun; Jang Hye-jin
Music by: Jung Jae-il
Cinematography: Hong Kyung-pyo
Edited by: Yang Jin-mo
Running time: 132 minutes
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Awards:
92nd Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film
Golden Globe: Best Foreign Language Film
BAFTA: Best Film Not in English Language
Story:
A deprived family occupies a wealthy household in an intricate plan that goes terribly wrong, ending in a tragedy.
Synopsis:
When we first meet the Kim family, headed by father Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho) and mother Chung-sook (Chang Hyae-jin), they are in their basement home in the slum area of Seoul area along with their son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) and daughter Ki-jung (Park So-dam), desperately hunting for any stray neighbours’ wifi coverage (which they locate near the toilet). When the government fumigators come on their street, the dad asks to leave the windows open for a free spray of insecticide in their home.
They have absolutely nothing for themselves other than each other. It is at this point that an opportunity knocks at Ki-woo – his friend asks him to teach English to a rich schoolgirl. With the help of his artistic sister, Ki-jung, he fakes a University Certificate and enters the Park household as the tutor.
The Park household consists of Mr. Park (Lee Sun-kyun), the businessman, owner of a global company, who is always busy at work; his anxious wife, Yeon-kyo (Cho Yeo-jeong), busy tending to their teen daughter (fond of boys) and hyperactive younger son, who is fond of the Native Americans. The Parks live a lifestyle, wherein they have outsourced everything – chauffeurs, tutors and most importantly caring of kids, cleaning, cooking to the devoted housekeeper Moon-gwang (Lee Jung-eun), who stayed with the building after its original architect owner moved out.
Ki-woo soon makes a plan to “take over” this household, for he sees opportunities, for his family in every nook and corner. He feels that he and his family are entitled to the luxuries of this household. His sister, father and mother seize the roles of art teacher, chauffeur and the housekeeper, respectively, using lies and charm to get rid of the Parks’ other employees, by telling the Parks, what they want to hear. Though the Parks are not gullible, they accept these new seemingly “unrelated” employees, one by one, as they are badly in need of domestic help.
The Kims settle in and everything goes great for them, until the previous housekeeper returns to collect an “item” that she has left behind in the Park household. From that point on, the horror unfolds, way too quickly, with skeletons coming out of the closet. The diametrically opposite worlds of the Park and Kim, dramatically collide destroying everything around with great force – a comedy turning into a tragedy, in that mansion and its beautiful, well maintained, green lawn.
Acting:
Each and every character is very important in this piece. Each character has its use and moves the story forward. Parasite, which is heavy on the storyline, is completely dependent on its actors. Each one of them has given a wonderful performance – their faces will haunt you for a while, as you would become a part of the nightmare that unfolds.
Music:
Jung Jae-il’s music, that starts off very sober, reaches its zenith by the time the climax is reached. The chords are so apt for each situation, heightening the underlying tension.
Collision of the Classes:
The difference in class and the subsequent collision is brought out by Bong fantastically in Parasite.
The Parks live in a mansion, which is an architectural marvel in itself. This humongous isolated house has the view of the green lawns, neatly trimmed hedges, starlit skies and not that of the urinating drunkards, as that of the filthy basement of the Kims. The air is fresh and clean at the Parks while it is putrid and polluted at the Kims.
Everything is ascending in the Park’s mansion – right from the road to the gates, to the main door and then to the living area. There is an escalator to the living area. This is in contrast to everything descending in the slum from the road to the concrete stairwell leading to the basement unit of the Kims.
The RAIN – is a beauty, to be relished at the Park mansion. While, it is a pain for the Kims as it causes flooding and sewage water enters their little basement. They are then left to the mercy of the government, for their basics – food, clothing and shelter.
The Kims may be desperate with no money, but they are every bit as smart as, and a lot more united (and closely knitted) than, the Parks, who turn their noses up at the smell of “people who ride the subway”. All four Parks are never seen together in one room, in that mansion. There is always an undercurrent at the Park mansion, beneath the calmer, picture perfect surface.
Mr. and Mrs. Park speak the language of politeness – simple and clear. They show brutal uprightness each time they ask for something. It is funny and at the same time uneasy when Mr. Park gripes about people that “cross the line” and smell like “old radishes.” At the Kim household, language is not a barrier.
At one point Mr. Kim (Sr.) says, “They’re rich but still nice,” of the Parks. Mrs. Kim immediately counters, “They’re nice because they’re rich”. Can this profound statement be any truer than this?
Symbolism of the Rock, a viewing stone given by Ki-woo’s friend at the beginning of the movie: This rock is believed to bring in wealth and happiness. Ki-woo goes in search of wealth with confidence, after the arrival of this rock. The rock is steadfast and withstands destruction. This rock also symbolizes the burden that comes along (with prospect of wealth), for it never leaves Ki-woo, as it is also his burden.
Who is the Parasite?
This is a tale where there are no heroes and the villains cease to be the villains. The line between protagonists and the antagonists blur and becomes interchangeable. No one is gullible or naïve and everyone has their weak, poignant moment.
This is a story that can easily slide into any country, into any culture and the language is no longer a barrier – we can identify with these characters and might have actually come across too. For this tale works on the premise of the basic fear of all humans – the need to protect their “own family” at any cost.
Bong leaves the question – “Who is the Parasite?” – open at the end. When the final credits roll, the audiences are sure to ponder this over. Are the real parasites the downtrodden that attach themselves to the wealthy? Or is it the wealthy that always sucks the blood out of the destitute? Or is it the system itself that feeds on the violent interaction between the two classes in this society?
Movie lovers don’t miss this wonderful, profound movie from South Korea.
My Rating:
5 / 5