Over-rated!

Rating: 7/10 (6 March 2020)

Parasite is a fine example of Korean cinema and an entertaining, cross-generic piece with overt Hitchcock influences, but the best film of 2019 and the best screenplay? Well, I'm sorry I don't think so. Not by a long way.
It's very professionally made and the main themes of class conflict, social inequality and wealth disparity are hard to miss. But that's the thing; for a film that's won an Oscar for best screenplay, there's precious little subtlety or nuance on show. Mrs Park is simply depicted as an air-headed social matriarch, with Mr Park, who's supposedly had the brains and initiative to start up a successful multi-national company, not much better.
The Kims on the other all seem exceedingly bright, sharp as tacks, in spite of their living conditions which can only be described as basement third world in a first world economy. I'm not doubting the existence of the banjiha, but seeing the Kims continually lob up to work, so fashionably and immaculately dressed in clean pressed clothes and so intelligently well-spoken hardly rings true. This is before and after their abode (and presumably their wardrobes) have been entirely flooded with sewage.
For me, all the best storylines generally have more distinctive shading of characters and behaviours; not the absolute stark contrasts between the haves and have nots, on display in Parasite. And I need to emphasise here that I'm talking about intelligences too, not just material possessions and finances.
A film such as 1917 dazzled me in places, to the extent, that I was wondering "how they managed to do such and such a sequence?" I was entertained by Parasite, but never enthralled, by what many critics were and are still saying is a "near-perfect" picture. I can't agree with this sort of summation. Having said that, I must confess to having a leaning towards seeing the black and white edit, that is supposedly going to be on offer later this year. I am intrigued to see whether a look at that might alter my perspective somewhat.