Greed and class discrimination threatens the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.
I saw the trailer for this film several times before watching other films recently, and while I was intrigued when I recognised Song Kang-ho (Snowpiercer, and The Drug King) on the big screen, I couldn't quite figure out what the film was about from the slightly incoherent and disjointed mess that the trailer appeared to be. Nevertheless, I've enjoyed Song Kang-ho's previous films, and seeing that the film won the Palme d'Or (the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival), this was on my list of films to check out.
And to be completely honest I'm glad that the trailer was a confusing and mixed up as it was. It allowed me to go into this film with practically no idea of what to expect, and that works to the advantage of the film. Korean director Bong Joon-ho (who also directed Snowpiercer) is at the helm of this story, and while the name "Parasite" almost makes you think the film could be some kind of creature horror, this dramatic thriller is entirely human and still entirely parasitic.
Parasite is all about class wars; exploring that divide between the rich and poor, through the Kim family and their interactions with the much more well-off Park family. The Kim family are brilliantly set-up as this resourceful family that is down on their luck but are given an opportunity to achieve more. Seeing a family at such a low point is a super effective method of creating empathy and sympathy for the main characters.
There is a lot of dark comedy in the film, and it is really well balanced and spread out throughout the 131-minute runtime. Each family member brings their own comedic style, such as the deadpan facial expressions of Song Kang-ho, the physical humour of Jang Hye-jin, the kind-hearted yet sharp focus of Choi Woo-shik, or the Aubrey Plaza-level of apathy and snark to Park So-dam's character.
The family is very well developed with each member having their own personality quirks and their own separate reactions to events. Which allows you to see each person in their own individual nature and adds extra complexity to every act. Nothing is as it seems, however, and there are so many levels of deceit and subversion of expectations that it almost has a similar vibe to the Oceans franchise. So many plans with so many players, and yet as the story unfolds it continues to surprise the audience.
The cinematography doesn't feel especially exciting, but a lot of effort is put in to make sure the pacing doesn't slow too much, and the film doesn't feel too restrictive, considering the small-scale of the story. Largely the film takes place on a single premise, and the variety in camera angles and tracking shots keep the scenes visually interesting despite much of the story being seemingly dialogue-driven. Even such little details as the placement of specific actors in the frame, help convey that difference in social stature and class.
Parasite is hilariously dark and deceitful. Well-balanced humour that later brings a solid foundation that transitions into a solid thriller.