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For hundreds of years, immigrants have left their countries in search of “the American Dream.” They’ve worked and sacrificed to provide for their families. And in the drama Minari, one immigrant family moves to the country to try to achieve their own dream.
Minari follows the story of a Korean family as they move from California to Arkansas to start a new life in the 1980s. Jacob Yi (Steven Yeun) is excited about their new home: a mobile home on a huge plot of land where he plans to farm Korean vegetables. His wife, Monica (Yeri Han), however, is mortified by their embarrassing trailer in the country. Worried about the children—especially David (Alan S. Kim), who has a heart condition—she brings her mother (Youn Yuh-jung) from Korea to help. But nothing goes quite as they’ve dreamed.
Minari is far from the typical immigrant drama. Instead of settling into a tiny apartment in a Korean community in a big city, working long hours at some back-breaking job, the Yi family chooses a different path, moving into a white rural community. They still work long hours, but their dream is different—and as they plan their future, viewers will fall in love with these careworn parents and their adorable children.
The story is told with sincerity but also humor. This is a family that’s struggling to survive. Jacob is tired of his job at the hatchery, identifying the gender of chicks; Monica is constantly worried that she’s not fast enough. Jacob’s plan is a risky one, and the family always seems to be one step away from losing everything. But in the midst of it all, they still have each other. They still have love and laughter. They have Grandma, who swears and drinks Mountain Dew and teaches the kids to play cards. And they have their quirky but well-meaning neighbor, Korean War vet Paul (Will Patton), who stages an exorcism on the land.
Admittedly, this slice of life drama can sometimes feel a little slow. It’s just a series of small events that, together, create one life-changing story for this family. But you’ll still end up captivated by this family and their determination to succeed.
This story of the quest for the American Dream isn’t the same old story. The characters, the setting, their journey all stand out. Minari isn’t a fast-paced drama, but it’s a fascinating one nonetheless.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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