Parasite

There's a central problem with 2019's widely celebrated, Palme d'Or winning PARASITE from South Korea that disturbingly many of its fans would not consider a problem - the protagonists, the ones for whom we are supposed to feel sorry and root, are a family of deceitful, selfish assholes.  It did occur to me that perhaps co-writer/director Bong Joon-ho's points were of larger concern and relevancy; that desperate times drive folks to desperate measures.  Maybe even to become more vain and selfish than the "oppressors".   Here, the wealthy.  Capitalistic (and even constitutional democracy) societies at heart are set up to reward the successful and punish the destitute.  Hard work may not be enough to get you out of your hovel.

The Kim clan gradually assume roles in the Park family household, never letting their employers know they are related.  Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik), college age but too poor to attend the University, will tutor the Parks' daughter in English.  His sister Ki-jeong (Park So-dam) poses as an art therapist for the Parks' son.  Her knowledge dazzles Mr. (Lee Sun-kyun) and Mrs. Park (Cho Yeo-jeong), but it's all just odds and ends she found on the Internet.   Next, Mr. Kim (Song Kang-ho) will be hired as the Parks' driver and Mrs. Kim (Chang Hyae-jin) as the family maid.  These positions are obtained by hoodwinks and framing of the Parks' previous employees.

In a very telling scene about midway through PARASITE, the loathsome quartet enjoy some time to themselves in the Parks' mansion while the family is off on a trip.  They eat ravenously, push away the family dog, and indulge in luxuries they never had. Basically trash the place, kinda like the way hippies did and some more liberal minded protesters do when theyr have a rally and leave garbage everywhere.  And the Kims mock their employers in ways that should make any reasonable, thoughtful viewer nauseous.  But wait, Mr. Joon-ho is saying something here.  Maybe something as elementary as that we are all animals, pigs, repitilan brained cretins when afforded luxuries.  When covetousness drives our actions. Maybe we're not supposed to cheer the Kims, who otherwise live in a filthy basement that is prone to sewer flooding and noxious fumes from street exterminators. Or, since this is a dark comedy, will the Kims finally get theirs? So (pardon the pun) richly deserved?

I will say that the above scene will take an interesting turn, one that will change life for everyone, and maybe even introduce a key new character.  Things will eventually get quite violent, as, you know, revolutions and uprisings tend to.  But what precipitates this and how is left to you, dear invisible audience.

Ultimately, I found PARASITE an at times astute, clever, and even astonishing film.  Joon-ho shifts the tone with ease.  Sometimes graphic, but mostly understated when it could've gone otherwise.  But the film is wildly overrated, and its themes a bit too obviously underlined.  If the film is fishing for sympathy for its leads, which the closing scene may suggest, it doesn't earn it.  Not from this viewer, at least. And I'm no hard hearted right winger by any stretch.  Satire is indeed a dish best served cold, but PARASITE doesn't quite join the ranks of past such efforts.  Ultimately, the film is one of the merely "very good", and yes, is worth your time and some awards.

But I kept thinking - What Luis Bunuel could've done with this!