Mood: a bit of everything, catch me if you can thrill, subtle comedy, tension, and a splash of horror
It’s a tale as old as time, the collision between the beautiful rich and the damned poor. The monstrous class divide in director, writer and producer Bong Joon-ho’s 11th full-length feature is possibly the reason this film resonates with so many audiences and it transcends across borders. Social disparity is something that still exists in many countries and no matter which end of the spectrum you find yourself in, Parasite reveals a completely new layer.
The ubiquitous theme of upstairs versus downstairs is skilfully mimicked in more than just the plot of the movie; in the cinematography, in the set design, in the lighting and the music choices. It’s almost poetic to observe the shocking contrast between the Kim family’s view to the world through a dirty basement window, which only allows them to watch heavily intoxicated folk relieve themselves in the alley, while the Parks get to enjoy the bright and serene scenery of their private backyard through the large glass walls of their impeccable house.
Stay assured though, what the Kims lack in the finance department, they make up for in intelligence, street smarts, and self-preservation. These dirty rotten parasites infiltrate the posh family one by one by praying on their employers’ insecurities and prejudices. The ease of which they achieve their scam without any university degrees or professional qualifications, simply by using their sharp wits and conning talents, illuminates how little these societal constructs and certificates mean in real life. It is precisely because of their ability to outsmart their highly-educated bosses that viewers sympathise with them and not judge them for leeching off of the stuck-up Parks, who feel physically sick by a whiff of their servants’ “poverty smell”. That horrendous treatment and disgusting constant degrading is also why it’s hard to feel bad for them.
Portraying similar tropes of inequality in various formats is one of Bong Joon-ho’s trademarks that attracted Western markets in his English-spoken rousing and subversive futuristic action-thriller Snowpiercer. Combining genres is further forte of his. Parasite presents you with a completely mixed bag of emotions. At one point you’re laughing at the Kims leaving their windows opened during street fumigation in order to get free disinfection of the flat. Another time as the daughter Ki-jeong sits on the overflowing toilet like it’s her own personal throne in a moment of personal disaster, you marvel her immense strength and resilience. Then the least when you expect it, the film twists and turns and leaves you terrified. The colour-grading becomes more muted and the clean lines and dark corners of the elegant Park house draw you into unexpected horrors. So if you’re not sure whether to see a drama, a comedy or even something raunchy (yes Joon-ho sprinkles some sexiness in there too) you needn’t look any further.
However, you should prepare yourself for a long ride, as the movie clocks in over the 2-hour mark, but it does keep your attention throughout and every time you think you’ve figured it out, it jumps into a whole new rabbit hole. Without telling you too much, the ending is something the director really deliberated about and he managed to create an almost-magical circle of life where someone always stays up and someone always remains down in this seemingly enchanted house. You never know whether to hate the characters or love them – in this story, there are no heroes and no villains, nothing is precisely black or white.
Parasite boldly illustrates some very important issues such as discrimination and severe income gaps that have to be given more exposure and happen to be universally relevant. The creative execution is done with some sleek simplicity too; from the quick-fire dialogue through the cool sound-mixing to the ever-surprising mood-changes. Its global critical acclaim has translated in many awards, including several Oscars, BAFTAs and Palme d’Or at Cannes.
In addition to achieving the historical recognition for being the first foreign-language film to win the Academy’s best picture and the one to grab four trophies on the same night, perhaps the even bigger significance of its success would be to open the door for other international and independent cinema. Potentially, more exhibitors would start to screen great work from around the world, which would hopefully lead to more people watching and appreciating them. The seventh art could be the medium through which we learn a little bit more about each other’s countries and cultures, and possibly begin to understand and love the differences that make us all unique.