It’s not often I give a movie five stars and I’m probably as surprised as you are that it’s for a subtitled Korean movie called Parasite, but I guarantee you’ll understand once you see it.
Whilst still on a high after the screening I tried to explain the unique, twisting storyline to friends. I did a woeful job and I know this review won’t do it justice either. Suffice to say you just HAVE to see this one.
Parasite the movie is a classic tale of the have’s and have not’s, but told in a uniquely modern way.
Exhausted father Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho) lives in the poorest part of town with his wife and two children. Like any father he wants to give his family the life they deserve. However given their place in the class system this seems impossible. Consequently their days are spent hustling just to survive.
When his son Ki-woo’s best friend takes a break from a very well-paid tutoring job, Ki-woo is given the opportunity to take his place. But Ki-woo is unsure. For one think he doesn’t have the prerequisite university education. No matter, his sister Ki-jung fixes that with a bit of creative design. Despite some concerns Ki-woo is soon entering the palatial home of the Park family. The home is magnificent, the work of an award winning designer. Think, middle page spread in Architects Australia magazine.
Ki-woo’s student Yeon-kyo is easy to teach and easy on the eye. Life is looking up. Yeon-kyo’s mother is equally pleasant and somewhat gullible which allows Ki-woo and his family to hatch a treacherous plan. One by one lives within the neat, structured home are changed.
As Parasite twists it’s way to its surprising conclusion, it’ll have you in a quandary. Laughing out loud one minute, apprehensive the next. You’ll be glued to the screen wondering what the perfectly placed suspenseful music is trying to alert you to. We were all spellbound from beginning to end. Sadly it’s one of those movies I can’t say too much about as you have to keep the end a secret. It’s wonderful and brilliant. I heard someone describe the movie as ‘soooo satisfying’ which seemed fitting.
There is so much to take in this during movie I will definitely be seeing it again. Design and Architecture students will have the added bonus of drooling over the house. I hope the title doesn’t put people off as it doesn’t adequately convey all that takes place. Perhaps Cuckoo could’ve been more appropriate.
For more information go to Luna cinema
