Minari

“Minari,” January 4, 2024 (2020), Blue Ray.  We both liked and recommend this excellent Korean-American film from writer-director Lee Issac Cheung about his family’s struggle to start life over again on their own farm in rural Arkansas in the 1980s.  But this is no tale of racism or discrimination.  Rather it’s a story that places the internals of the family at its heart and chronicles the story of their efforts to make a go of it.

The film relies on and gets especially strong performances from its entire cast.  Korean immigrants Jacob (Steven Yuen) and Monica (Yeri Han) have moved with their children David (Alan Kim) and Anne (Noel Cho) to a farm in Arkansas after working as chicken sexers in California.  She continues this work while he tries to make a go of it growing Korean vegetables with the aid of Paul, a ‘damaged’ – PTSD is implied –

American Korean War vet.  The ground is dry and parched, and so is their marriage.  Monica’s mother Soonja (Youn Yuh-jung in a much deserved Oscar/Bafta/and other award-winng best supporting role) comes to stay with them and help with childcare.  She also plants a Korean herb, minari, that grows as a weed and serves as a metaphor for their migration.

What can go wrong does with the farm, the market and the family.  Monica hates the rural life, while Jacob is committed to his dream.   The market does not oblige.  Will the farm survive?  Will the marriage?

As noted above, this is not a tale of racism, discrimination or bigotry.  The family are the subjects in their own lives and in this story. It has the feel of a Willa Cather or Hamlin Garland story.  Cheung was influenced by the former’s work.

Youn is simply marvelous as Soonja.