As Stakes Rapidly Rise, a Clever Family of Con Artists Slips Underwater

Rating: 9/10 (29 January 2020)

A relatively simple, low-key racket spirals way out of control as an impoverished lower class Korean family smoothly weasels their way into the lives of a wealthy, naive, white collar household.
Unpredictably composed, Parasite effortlessly shifts between several genres, evenly mixing comedy with tragedy and several stops in between. Of the versatile tools in that particular box, the film's at its best on the frequent occasions that it ratchets up the tension. I constantly caught myself holding in a deep breath, completely immersed in the moment and conflicted about the best possible outcome. Not all of those nail-biters lead to fireworks, and the film is careful not to overplay its hand, so that, when the time is right, those inevitable explosions land like a flurry of unexpected body blows.
The first hour is captivating, as the leeches' shady plot comes together and their long con gains momentum, but the home stretch, with its string of sharp curves and grim consequences, is unrestrained chaos in the best of ways. One helluva ride.