Parasite is a 2019 film from acclaimed filmmaker Bong Joon Ho that won numerous accolades including Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards. The film stars Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, and Jang Hye-jin. Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

This isn’t a new film, but it’s an important one that I have been wanting to talk about since Bong Joon Ho’s latest film, Mickey 17. I still remember the day I saw this 6 years ago, which is hard to believe it’s been that long ago. I had a break in the middle of the day while attending college, and went to the only theater that was playing this. I was maybe one of three people in the theater, but this was also before the film gained significant popularity. I still remember wrapping my head around the twist in the middle of the film and coming out of that theater witnessing one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.

It’s quite remarkable how the film was able to go on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It’s one of the rarest in recent years amongst a few others that I could strongly agree with. More importantly, it was quite extraordinary for a foreign film to win the grand prize. From its themes on class & politics to its tight-knit pacing, there’s many reasons why it will go on to become a timeless classic that I hope will allow other foreign films to thrive.

One of the most impressive things the film has going for it has to be the cinematography. The camera work is done with purpose noting the difference between classes of people. The people might share the same space, but they still have a different background, heightening the original idea that Bong Joon Ho is capitalizing on. There are multiple scenes where a line will be split on screen between characters noting who they really are without the film having to directly say it. It’s not until a rewatch where you can actually see the hidden details.

The story that Bong Joon Ho creates gives something that viewers can connect with no matter what background they come from. He shares the different perspectives of classes that help share just how the wealthy can lack perspective. This isn’t a film that’s saying to eat the rich, but to show that when you have more privilege, the more perspective you leave behind. By the end of the film, you see where the poor are now the rich, but their journey there was not a happy one. The path to the top can be such a bitter one that loses meaning by the time you reach it.

The themes don’t stop there. The film has three distinct acts. The first act already feels conclusive, but when you recognize the runtime, you know there’s got to be more. The problem is that you you just don’t know what you are in for. When the big reveal occurs halfway leading into the second act, I still remember my jaw on the floor the first time I saw it. The way it pivots into the big reveal where there is someone living below the house is genius and further capitalizes on Bong Joon Ho’s idea. Things become really intense from there. Where the first act feels light and funny, the rest of the film is dark and moody to great effect.

When I reflect back on the film, I still think about the midway twist the most, which may be unfair when everything that came before and after is brilliant. On my latest rewatch, I forgot about some of the key components that occur in the third act like the what happens to the son that leads him to the hospital or the reason why Kim Ki-taek kills Park Dong-ik. The film is rich with material that I’m amazed by the fact that I can either capture new details or remember things that surprised me the first time I watched it.

Finally, this film wouldn’t be what it was without the terrific performances that accompany it. There are performances that truly stand out like Song Kang-ho’s that have allowed them to gain more recognition. Unfortunately, Lee Sun-Kyun passed away recently. The performances that feel real & authentic, which can certainly be tough when they are portraying families that are polar opposites from each other. My favorite scene outside of the twist involves the families and how they react when there is a bad thunderstorm where one family is enjoying it and the other is trying to save their home from flooding. There is so much authenticity in that scene alone.

Overall, it rarely gets better than the perfection that Parasite delivers. I love how beloved it’s become universally. You don’t ever hear anyone complain it and you certainly don’t ever hear people talk about it being overrated. I love how there’s a film that can universally connect viewers. That’s what film is about.

VERDICT: 5/5 (Perfect)