Parasite (2019)
Parasite is just as much twisted fun to watch the second time as it was the first. It’s a diabolical thriller and from a technical standpoint, it’s incredible. Whether you pick up on the political commentary right away or it only sinks in later doesn’t matter at all.
Kim Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho), his wife Chung-sook (Jang Hye-jin), their son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik), and daughter Ki-jeong (Park So-dam) make ends meet by snatching up whatever job comes their way. One day, Ki-woo finds a job tutoring the daughter of the wealthy Park family, Da-hye (Jung Ji-so). Thanks to his forged documents, her parents (Lee Sun-kyun and Cho Yeo-jeong) suspect nothing, which gives the rest of the Kims ideas…
You’re often unsure if you should be laughing or if this story is horrifying. In one of the first scenes, the Kims notice the city is fumigating the streets. Instead of closing the windows, they open them - hoping to get rid of the infestation in their apartment for free. It doesn’t go well. Right away, you know volumes about these people. They’re desperate but savvy and there’s no opportunity they won’t take advantage of. You’ve got an entire movie in just those few minutes but it’s just the beginning.
Director Bon Joon-ho (whose Snow Piercer I love) tells a story that’ll have you tearing out your hair in anxiety. As the Kims leech off of the Park household, you're unsure how to feel. The way they carefully orchestrate cons within cons and flawlessly carry them out, often improvising and turning what other would see as stumbling blocks into opportunities is admirable - if that's the word. It also makes them reprehensible. Our protagonists will they step on anyone to get what they want, as illustrated in the film’s best moment, a fast-paced montage in which they go after the housekeeper, Gook Moon-gwang (Lee Jing-eun). And then, the film once again makes you revise your feelings by revealing more about the people being fooled. The homeowners are a troupe of dolts who will be fine regardless of this elaborate deception. The more you know them, the more you realize the crooks they’ve fallen prey to are not much worse than they are. These snobs are so oblivious to the world they deserve to be taken down a peg.
Initially, I was unsure what to make of the ending. It seemed too idyllic, too clean. Now I realize that’s exactly the point. That conclusion is a fantasy. The dark truth is, things will never turn out that way. Even if it did, one prison would merely be substituted for another.
Parasite makes you think about the ever-growing gap between the rich and poor in a manner so clever you don’t even realize you’re learning something. It gives this picture great re-watch value. Or you can simply enjoy it as a series of cons and dark twists. Either way, it's great fun. (Original Korean with English subtitles on the big screen, March 10, 2020)