Rating: 5/5
Over the past few years, increasing awareness about diversity and Asian representation in films gave rise to box office hits centered around Asian American stories. “Minari,” a film about a Korean-American family that moves from California to Arkansas to start a farm and chase the American Dream, returns to the roots of the perseverance of Asian immigrants.
“Minari” stars Steven Yeun as Jacob Yi, the family’s patriarch. Yeri Han plays Jacob’s hesitant wife, Monica, and veteran Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung plays Monica’s foul-mouthed and mischievous mother, Soonja.
The film has been nominated for Best Picture in this year’s Academy Awards, and a few cast and crew members have also been nominated for multiple categories: Steven Yeun for Actor in a Leading Role, Youn Yuh-Jung for Actress in a Supporting Role, Lee Isaac Chung for both Directing and Writing (Original Screenplay), and Emile Mosseri for Music (Original Score), according to the Academy Awards’ official list.
The film takes the viewer through the Yi family’s fresh start in a new location, showing how they face life with resilience even as they experience setbacks on the path to achieving their dream. The film also focuses on the family members’ relationships with each other.
Visually, the film is refreshing, as it includes numerous shots of lush green scenes, which is a rare sight for residents of the city. The film is set in the 1980s, and the set design and props—cereal boxes, milk packaging, even chewing tobacco cans—are all reminiscent of the decade.
Additionally, despite Monica’s hesitation towards their new situation, the interactions between the family members are genuine and heartwarming. The film also has its share of humorous and lighthearted moments, brought on by scenes shared between Grandmother Soonja and David, the youngest child. Soonja is just like a typical Asian grandmother who blurts out her relatives’ business to strangers out of the blue, although without any ill intent.
Each actor and actress put on stellar performances for their respective roles. A new start involves unfamiliar situations, stirring up feelings of apprehension. This puts a strain on relationships, which the film displays through the friction between Jacob and Monica and the unease between Soonja and the children. The many close-up shots of Jacob and Monica’s expressions fully capture the emotions each tense scene demands. The emotions feel raw and natural. That being said, Youn Yuh-jung’s performance impressed me the most. Her character undergoes the most drastic personality change, and she executed it masterfully and seamlessly.
The story is realistic from beginning to end, and it pulled on my heartstrings at some points. The family’s struggles aren’t sugar-coated. In addition, the resolution was not what I had expected, but it was not disappointing in the slightest. It is the kind of film that leaves the viewer thinking even after the credits have rolled. The family’s hope, resilience, and bond stood strong in the end.
Overall, “Minari” is definitely worth the watch. The story of the Yi family is an Asian-American immigrant family’s attempt at the American Dream brought to film, which is sure to hit home for many viewers.