Minari 2020

This review contains spoilers after the non spoiler section. Non spoiler thoughts (summary): Strong, natural performances make the family feel real from the start. The film centers on the tension between building a future and keeping a family intact, and while the intentions are sincere, some character dynamics create emotional distance. Visually striking moments, especially near the end, are powerful, but the emotional payoff feels restrained. The message about resilience is clear, even if it doesn’t fully land for me. ⚠️ Spoilers ahead. From here on, plot details are discussed. Read on if you’ve seen the film. If not, save this post and come back after. ⚠️ Earlier pa lang, pinamalas na agad nila ang acting skills nila. Ramdam mo kaagad yung naturalism at sincerity ng performances. The family feels warm, parang totoong pamilya talaga sa totoong buhay. The tone gets lighter whenever the lola is on screen. Ang kulit niya, very much an enabler. Tawang-tawa ako dun sa scene na pinainom ni David yung ihi niya sa lola niya. But as the film goes on, it becomes clearer how carefree and negligent she is, and in hindsight, parang foreshadowing na rin siya of what will eventually happen later in the film. As the story progresses, mas nagiging apparent yung central conflict: success or family. That’s what Monica wants Jacob to choose between. But for Jacob, all he wants is to give a better life for his family by building something of his own, by doing business, and not staying employed forever. I honestly don’t know where Monica is coming from. Kung bakit parang kating kati siyang bumalik sa California even when the farm is already showing signs of a breakthrough. It feels ungrateful to me. Ganun siguro talaga minsan, as a husband you give and give, pero misunderstood ka pa rin. Jacob works hard for his family and is very considerate, to the point that he even allows his mother-in-law to live with them. Which, by the way, becomes the cause of the fire. Personally, I wouldn’t allow that. Not in a million years. Naging alagain na nga, naging pahamak pa. The cinematography during the fire scene was great. Super bright, overwhelming, and emotionally charged. I’m not sure if it was done practically or enhanced, but it felt believable and grounded. I understand that the film’s intention is good. It’s about growth, survival, and starting again. But for me, that lesson got overshadowed by my frustration with the mother-in-law’s role in the story. Because of that, the ending didn’t land as hard as it probably should have. Sayang yung character work. For me, there wasn’t enough payoff. I’m also baffled by how calm Jacob was after the incident. All his hard labor literally went up in flames. I expected more anger, more emotional release. Instead, it felt muted, and that choice didn’t fully connect with me.