Synopsis

A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

Critics Views

“Sensitively written and acted, beautifully shot, and with a charming, sparingly used score, Minari is so engaging that it’s easy to forget how radical it is.” BBC
“It’s at once intimate and expansive – a film with a big heart and not a bad word to say about anyone.” Time Out

“This is a wonderfully absorbing and moving family drama with a buttery, sunlit streak of sentimentality.” The Guardian

“As it unspools, Minari becomes a study in sober compassion. Chung has worked through the conflicts of his upbringing—his father’s stubbornness, the family’s rural isolation—and arrived at the grace of understanding, and all the forgiveness, regret, and affection that comes with that.” Vanity Fair

“Gentle as the stream that flows through the Yi’s property, and yet powerful enough to reverberate for generations to come, Chung’s loving — and immensely lovable — immigrant drama interrogates the American Dream with the hard-edged hope of a family that needs to believe in something before they lose all faith in each other.” Indiewire

Awards
Academy Award winner for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Yuh-Jung Youn)
Academy Award nomination Best Motion Picture of the Year – Christina Oh (producer), Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Steven Yeun), Best Achievement in Directing (Lee Isaac Chung), Best Original Screenplay (Lee Isaac Chung), Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score) Emile Mosseri

BAFTA winner for Best Supporting Actress (Yuh-Jung Youn)
BAFTA nomination for Best Film Not in the English Language (Lee Isaac Chung, Christina Oh), Best Supporting Actor (Alan S. Kim), Best Director (Lee Isaac Chung), Original Score (Emile Mosseri), Best Casting (Julia Kim)

Sundance Film Festival  Grand Jury Prize 2020

Film Rating

IMDb
 Critics: 89%  Audience 75%

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics positive review 98%   Audience Liked It 88%

 Stockbridge Audience Score: 75%

Audience Comments

Acting of the highest standard – disappointing ending
After a good start the film meandered around and ultimately never went anywhere
Beautiful photography – slow moving story-line.
Excellent in its way , but I rarely award excellent to anything.
Excellent in its way but I rarely give anything excellent
Given the apparent speed of production, the performances drawn from those two children were remarkable.
Many very nice moments but slow unchanging pace made it seem like a very long film.
Moving
The story didn’t progress and I found a little dull/dreary I was disappointed but my companions were more positive.