Parasite

This most talked about, most acclaimed film of the past year is a very engaging black comedy thriller that has lots to say in between the lines.

Cast-Song Kang-ho, LeeSun-kyun, ChoYeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik,ParkSo-dam,Jang Hye-jin

Director – Bong Joon-ho

Plot

The story opens to show us the rundown life of Kim Family comprising of husband ,wife and two grown up children, living in a semi basement small house in a lower middle class neighbourhood, short on employment,food ,phone connection and wi-fi , presently making living out of folding pizza boxes.

When the son gets an opportunity to tutor a girl in a rich household, he’s dazzled by the prosperity. Lured by their gullibility, he shrewdly schemes to get a bigger chunk of the pie.

But greed sometimes leads to bigger problems. Watch this wonderful social satire turn into a thriller with jumbled mess of situations.

Analysis

Bong Joon creates this captivating narrative that never lets you guess what to expect if you haven’t read the reviews. It’s like a tunnel and you are intrigued where it leads.

The first half is the social satire wherein he shows you the stark contrast of life styles and lives, people and their psyches. He then shows how grave class difference sometimes leads to brazen aspirations and greed and desperation leads to a compromise on morals.

The starkness of difference is veiled and well expressed.The wonderful part is the narrative never lets you tilt one way. The title too is as metaphoric as the film.

Watch this deserving Oscar winner to decipher what it stands for ..the people in the story Or the greed that sucks the morality / humanity out of us, Or our dependence that makes us weak and gullible !

I could somehow see some similarities between the Spanish film,The Platform,and this one. Both talk about the class difference and inequalities and the vices it leads to. Both give a peep into the human psyche. But the treatments and narratives are vastly different.

Goes without saying that this meaningful ,well written ,well made ,well performed highly engrossing film is recommended.