CROSSING THE LINE

Rating: 9/10 (2 February 2020)

Rooting for an impoverished but resourceful underdog struggling to make ends meet, sets up a standard feel good movie scenario. Seemingly innocuous, "Parasite" captures the lively trials of the Kim family as they scheme and trick their way into cushy employment, starting an invasion of sorts. The web of lies in an escalating con targeting the insensitive and gullible Park family opens a series of mouth watering doors, but alas, there's always some that should remain shut.
Whether it's borders, classes, or smells, everyone has a line, that once crossed, destroys most semblance of rationale. "Parasite" brilliantly dissects how these boundaries (however personal and subjective) are developed within our very complicated and unique species.
Filmed almost exclusively within the two families' domiciles, one a filthy, cramped basement apartment, the other a glorious, spacious and meticulously spotless mansion on the hill, "Parasite" offers an obvious and very deep class chasm as plot kindling.
Delicious absurdist touches like peach fuzz allergies, hammer throw expertise, American Indian infatuations, and wifi signal hunting, are peppered throughout offering much welcomed distraction. Spinning an endearing class dichotomy comedy wildly out of control adds white knuckle power to the jarring second act. Sides are drawn early on, making it is easy to cheer for the bottom feeders in this warfare, but not everything on screen is black and white. The consequence of action and reaction during the increasingly muddied grey areas powers this film. What is good? What is evil? How is that line drawn?
Sneaky, powerful, perfectly paced, funny, shocking, and quite wonderful. Can a film be both dark and bright? Yes, yes it can.

hipCRANK