I’d heard that a new Korean movie Minari was a heartfelt film not to be missed. After the delight of another Korean movie Parasite, I was in.

Minari follows Jacob (Steven Yeun), a Korean-American family man whose trying to do the very best he can for his family. His wife Monica (Yeri Han) and he had already moved once, to America to “save each other”. Now they, along with their daughter Anne (Noel Kate Cho) and son David (Alan S Kim) they are moving again.

A champion chicken-sexer Jacob has saved up enough money to buy a ‘farm’. Situated five hours outside Oklahoma the family pack up and leave California. However when they arrive the home is not exactly what they thought it would be. They find a run down house on wheels, sitting on a vast expanse of overgrown land. While Jacob can see his dream, Monica is less sure, and she’s worried about the distance from hospitals given their son David’s heart condition.

Jacob quickly sets about developing the land with a view to cornering the market of Korean vegetables. He believes the increasing number of Korean immigrants will want a little piece of home. Until that happens he and his wife also work as chicken-sexers. Along the way he meets god-fearing neighbour Paul (Will Patton) who suggests maybe he should widen his market.

It soon becomes apparent that they need help and so Monica’s mother Soonja (Youn Yuh-jung) comes to live with them. But Soonja isn’t your normal grandmother as young David quickly discovers.

Minari is a gentle, contained movie about overcoming challenges and resilience, but mostly it’s about the importance of family and what really makes a home. There is also a reminder that children are always watching what adults are doing.

Rating 6/10.

For more information go to Luna Cinemas Starts Feb 18.