Capsule Review: I’m not allowed to write a full review of Minari as I’ve been threatened with death and excommunication from the local powers that be, which is more menacing than anything found in this entrancing Korean-American drama. Starring Steven Yeun and Alan Kim, and written and directed by and based on the childhood of Lee Isaac Chung, Minari follows a Korean family that emigrates to Arkansas to start a farm, because that’s what all Koreans do when they come to America.
Wonderfully acted by all involved–the cast also includes Yeri Han, Yuh-jung Youn, and Will Patton–Minari is simultaneously simple and complex; simple, in that the story, a snapshot of a family struggling to make ends meet, is as quaint as they come, while Chung grabs hold of and conveys the little nuances and emotional moments in convincing manner.
Minari doesn’t land the emotional punches I was expecting, and it’s not the kind of drama I’m likely to revisit, but there’s no denying this is an expertly crafted and beautifully told story that deserves every accolade thrown its way.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.
