At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Lee Isaac Chung’s drama Minari cleaned up.
Starring The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun, the film is a heartfelt—and, at times, gut-wrenching—story of a family that relocates from South Korea to a small farm in Arkansas, in pursuit of their own American dream.
Written and directed by Chung, it is a semi-autobiographical account of his own childhood experience growing up in Denver, Colorado in the ’80s.
Already receiving an approval rating of 100% by critics on RottenTomatoes, the film has been praised for its deeply touching and relatable depiction of the immigrant experience. Not only for parents, but for second-generation children as well.
Told through the perspective of young David Yi, we see his father Jacob (Yeun) struggle to provide for his family, all while navigating his marriage, cultural assimilation and fatherhood.
One look at the trailer and it’s clear that there are some difficult moments to swallow throughout the film, but the realism is absorbed by loving and tender moments we see between the family.
At its heart, Minari is a humble story about family and identity. But through incredible performances and cinematography, Chung transforms this deeply personal story into something that feels universal and hopeful.
As reviewed by The Boston Globe, “It will break your heart, only to piece it back together stronger than before.”
Watch the trailer below (bonus points if you manage not to cry).
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