Parasite Is a Grim Comedic Take On Class Warfare

Parasite is the newest film from director Bong Joon-Ho, who is most well known for his films Snowpiercer and Okja. The former is class struggle shrunk down to play out on a massive train with incredible poverty and extreme wealth, and the latter focuses on the story of a girl traveling from her home in the mountains of South Korea to America in order to track down her animal friend which was taken from her by a corrupt corporation. Class is a big deal in Bong Joon-Ho's work, and he especially focuses on the way those in positions of wealth and power live completely oblivious to the plight of those struggling to make ends meet. Snowpiercer was an allegory for class warfare, but Parasite is an uncomfortable up-close depiction of the real thing.

Bong Joon-Ho's newest film is a picture of the desperation of poverty, and the impossible task put upon the lower class to simply climb the ladder (or spiral staircase) themselves. Plans in the Kim family fail so often they know the best plan is no plan. However, this knowledge isn't enough to keep them from creating an elaborate plot which allows each of the four members to work for the wealthy (and perhaps a little too trusting) Park family. Armed with Photoshopped English degrees and theories about art psychology that would make Sigmund Freud roll his eyes, the Kim family takes their sweet time integrating into the lives of the Parks. Unfortunately, plans in the Kim family rarely turn out the way they hope they will.

Parasite is beautifully shot with crisp bright colors and deliberately stylized cinematography throughout. However, upon first view the tonal shifts are jarring and I left the theater with a bit of emotional whiplash. The first half of the movie is a dark comedy which had the audience in my viewing laughing out loud, then the film mutates and dissolves into something sad and profound. In a way it's similar to those Robin Williams comedies like Good Morning Vietnam that you walk into expecting funny jokes and walk out feeling solemn and introspective. For that reason Parasite is a phenomenal film. Not only is it funny and a genuine joy to watch, but it also knows when to catch you in its open drooling maw and expose you to the true ugliness of the division of the upper and lower classes.

Hopefully you'll leave the theater with the film's title in mind, and you'll ask yourself: Who's the real parasite here? Is it the family in poverty who's just taking on another humiliating task to survive, or is it the wealthy who can't make it through a day without housekeepers, personal drivers, and private teachers for their children?

Parasite is currently playing in theaters.