Parasite (2019): A Film Review

You know, when I first got to know the project Cinematic Review series, Parasite (2019) was my instant decision to write a review on. I was forced to watch the movie when I was having a sleepover with my cousins. When I first heard the word, I did not like to watch, but when the movie continued, I was showing interest and was into the film. Parasite is a 9/10 for me when considering its practicality to society and how the director skillfully showcases every single emotion in a frame.

Enough of my rambling! Let us move into the movie summary.

Summary

Parasite (2019) which was directed by Bong Joon Ho, revolves around a poor family of parents, son, and daughter, who struggle to survive in a society with the least luxuries. They were managing their lives, obviously criticizing the wealthy, until one day Choi-woo-sik, the son of the family received an opportunity to tutor a wealthy girl, through a friend’s invitation.  This is when the whole comedy turns into a tragedy, for the time being, because of the human desire for luxury and the prevailing avarice for pampered commodities.

Analysis

The film is a critical portrayal of contemporary society, where the wealthy get the best while the poor suffer to the fullest. The way the poor family slowly fuses into the wealthy, pretending like they don’t know each other illustrates how crooked people can go to achieve their needs and desires. But at the same time, I sort of felt like, “why are the wealthy family members showing this much ignorance and trusting someone who is totally new to them?” Because in one incident, the father of the poor, Kim Ki-taek, manages to make the lady of the wealthy believe that the servant woman has a hidden disease that she tries to cover from the family. The lady believes it as well. It felt it rather impractical at the moment, but when I analyzed it, it seemed possible in a context like a born wealthy family who hasn’t been exposed to the crooked nature of people.

Setting

At the outset of the film, only the slums of the poor are displayed, which have the least luxuries. What disgusted more to me was the bathroom of the house, which had not even been properly cleaned for ages perhaps. Moreover, when the film continues, at one point due to heavy rain, a flood occurred in their house. Overflow of the spoiled water tells how low their hygiene is. On the contrary, the house of the wealthy was more like a mansion in a shelter magazine, that had proper ventilation and every luxury that a person longs to have.

Overall thought

The film was a comedy in the beginning and then turned into a tragedy at the end, which led to the destruction of three families, including the servant family who lived with the wealthy as well. The poor family was more like a parasite to the wealthy that tried to invade everything that they could get from theirs and then destroy the host while it also getting destroyed. The film is an excellent illustration of its name and mirrors the society we live in.  The final tragedy would have been changed without causing five deaths if the poor family had not exceeded their desires but managed their life with what they had. On the other hand, if the wealthy were a bit wiser in analyzing the scenarios that happened, they could have found out much earlier and gotten away from the danger.

However, the mood created in the end is rather sad and empathetic, because all the characters are victims of the society of injustice, hypocrisy, avarice, and desires for power and luxury. Again that reminds me of how social inequality leads to triggers people with their emotions!

Rtr. Hasanki Kasthuriarachchi