PARASITE (A-minus) - Bong Joon-ho finally finds the sweet spot between story and spectacle in this tale of class warfare pitting two families -- the working-class Kims and the rich Parks -- against each other. A mix of thriller and dark comedy, "Parasite" hums with fascinating characters and surprising plot twists. While things get pretty unhinged in the final third, Bong holds on for dear life and sticks the landing. To lay out the plot, it's easier to quote Wikipedia:
Kim Ki-taek, his wife Chung-sook, son Ki-woo, and daughter Ki-jeong live in a small semi-basement apartment, working low-paying jobs and struggling to make ends meet. Ki-woo's friend Min-hyuk, who is preparing to study abroad, gifts the Kim family with a scholar's rock which is supposed to bring them wealth. He suggests Ki-woo pose as a university student to take over Min-hyuk's job as an English tutor for the daughter of the wealthy Park family, Da-hye. Once Ki-woo is hired, the Kims all pose as sophisticated skilled workers, unrelated to each other, and integrate themselves into the lives of the Parks
Bong wastes little of the 132 minutes, taking his time to set up that foundation, as various members of the Kim family gradually infiltrate the Park household. The Parks are not presented as evil or even arrogant; in fact, they show quite a bit of empathy for their employees. And the Kims may be hustlers, but they are not horrible grifters. (They have a vague connection to the outlaw family in last year's gem "Shoplifters.")
Bong has a history of pulp and suspense. "Snowpiercer" (2013) was too overwhelming on the sense, and we couldn't get into 2017's "Okja," leaving us wary of digging backward into his classics, "Mother" and "The Host." But here, he's got the stew right. The ensemble cast is top-notch and appealing, grounding this farce in a skewed reality. The little things land just right, like various characters' random attempts to speak English.
There is gravitas to the narrative. Bong makes a point of distinguishing between the classes by having the Parks several times remark on the noticeable odor they detect on their lower-run employees and which they associate with the riff-raff. It's a sharp, shorthand way of drawing distinctions and just one of the ways in which "Parasite" gets under your skin and won't let you hide.
MELVIN GOES TO DINNER (2003) (A-minus) - We first saw this one way back in the day at the Santa Fe Film Festival; it doesn't seem to have gotten a wide release, but it is streaming on Netflix. Bob Odenkirk (TV's "Mr. Show" and "Better Call Saul") directed this glorified stage play from comedy writer Michael Blieden about four semi-connected adults gathering for a chance dinner where the booze flows and secrets get unsealed.
Blieden stars as Melvin, who is meeting his friend Joey (Matt Price) for dinner, only to find Joey's friend Alex (Stephanie Courtney, Flo the Progressive spokeswoman) and Alex's acquaintance Sarah (Annabelle Gurwitch) already starting to break bread with Joey. The cast is just right (including Kathleen Roll as the loopy waitress), but it's the natural dialogue that makes this such a joy to watch. Free of cliches and tired tropes, the screenplay crackles with wit and insight. The result is a believable slice of life among cynical 30-somethings (of the X Generation).
It all has a loose, improvisational feel but grounded in a strong script. The arc of the evening provides both tension and comic relief. You might see the final reel's twist coming, but it's a satisfying conclusion nonetheless. This is a rare indie find.
BONUS TRACK
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