VIFF 2019 | 'Parasite' Movie Review

Going from rags to riches probably isn’t as easy as fairy tales might make it seem. The endeavor may require having specific skills, a cooperative network, and in all likelihood, a very clever con. These are just a few of the reasons that it’s so entertaining to watch the events of Parasite unfold.

Parasite follows a family who capitalizes on a lucrative opportunity when son Kim Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) accepts a job to tutor the daughter of the well-off-yet-gullible Parks family. After he earns the trust of the Parks, the Kims devise an elaborate scheme that sees each family member replace workers in the Parks’ household without the Parks knowing their relationship to each other. But the stakes are raised when a revelation about the home that the Kims are working in is revealed.

The duplicitous plan by the Kims is complex and intricate, yet calculated and well thought out. This is what keeps their web of lies and relationships with the Parks so intriguing. And to add to the film’s dynamic, the narrative doesn’t settle comfortably into any specific genre. The film’s fusion of romantic drama, mystery, suspense, family drama, comedy, and even horror is as brazen as the plot itself.

Each character’s involvement in the story keeps the film engaging, and the mid-film twist will keep audiences guessing. But of all the unpredictability in the film, it’s the emotional payoff in Parasite‘s conclusion that’s the most unexpected. Not at fairy tale ending, but beautiful and satisfying nonetheless.

MoviesThomas Stoneham-JudgeSeptember 28, 2019Featured Film at VIFF 2019, VIFF 2019, parasite, movie review, 12 out of 12Comment