Today’s quick review: Parasite. Kim Ki-Woo (Choi Woo Shik) strikes gold when a friend gets him a referral to work as an English tutor for a wealthy family. Through clever planning and a bit of fraud, Ki-Woo manages to land jobs for the rest of his family as well: his father Ki-Taek (Song Kang Ho), his mother Chung-Sook (Chang Hyae Jin), and his sister Ki-Jung (Park So Dam). But their ambitions soon spiral out of control, threatening disaster.
Parasite is a Korean black comedy and thriller from director Bong Joon Ho. The film follows the Kims, a destitute but crafty family, as they worm their way into the lives of the Parks (Lee Sun Kyun and Cho Yeo Jeong), a family that’s rich and happy, but gullible. The Kims’ elaborate schemes, a clever script, and well-drawn characters form the basis of an entertaining comedy. But Parasite also builds to a conflict that’s much darker than its beginning.
Parasite goes far on the strength of its characters, situations, and dialogue. The film strikes a sensible balance between grounded observations about daily life and more outrageous setups that could only be found in a comedy. The Kims embody this balance: believable characters with a larger-than-life plan for scamming the Parks. Parasite takes a targeted approach to its comedy, taking its time and delivering its jokes where they’re most effective.
Parasite handles its thriller side with similar skill. The tone shifts from upbeat to unsettling at the drop of a hat, swapping from harmless hijinks to a looming sense of danger. Parasite skews towards comedy for the early part of the film, and it’s careful about when it finally pulls the trigger on its darker elements. Parasite doesn’t go as far as dedicated thrillers, but it picks its battles well and leaves the audience with some haunting scenes.
Parasite is a carefully crafted film that’s well worth a watch for anyone interested in what it has to offer. The dark, violent places it goes will be a turn-off for anyone expecting a pure, uplifting comedy. The long and fairly light opening may bore those looking for something truly gut-wrenching. But those willing to take the emotional highs with the emotional lows will find Parasite to be a sharp and original experience.
For a more upbeat Korean comedy about a change of material circumstance, try Luck-Key. For an even darker look at class conflict, try High-Rise or Snowpiercer. For a dry comedy that takes a similarly dark turn, try The Art of Self-Defense. For a more consistently bleak psychological thriller, try The Machinist.
8.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for an interesting premise and strong craftsmanship.