About class boundaries and human division

Rating: Null/10 (10 March 2020)

Ever since his first film, director Bong Joon-ho has been interested in class divide. And nowhere is this more apparent and poignant than in Parasite, where a low-class family of four, down on their luck, infiltrate an upper class household, each posing as a separate helper. One is a tutor to their daughter, another a driver, and so forth.
And that alone would be plenty entertaining and fascinating. Each of the four members of the Kim family are a fully realized character, brimming with personality, hopes and aspirations. Sure, what they're doing is questionable and even immoral, but the film is told from their point of view and you can't really hate them for trying to reach for those stars. It's not like they're hurting anyone. Initially.
But then the story takes a turn and suddenly it's deadly serious, fiercely intense and full of high stakes and suspense. Before that twist, Parasite was already a great film, but afterwards it became a masterpiece.
It also helps that Bong is a splendid director. Each scene, each shot, is measured, beautiful and poignant. The whole film look amazing, but I especially enjoyed the scenes where heavy rain is falling. Such an impactful scene. For the rich, it's just a night of rain drumming their roof. Kind of relaxing, actually. They don't have to worry about it. But for the poor, it's a night of nightmares, floods and loss. For them, it's the end of their lives as they knew it.
Parasite earned it's Best Picture Oscar and I'm so glad that the Academy is finally acknowledging these foreign films. It's a film full of heavy themes, brilliant acting moments and enough content to keep you wondering for weeks. Heavily recommended.