Sometimes movies live up to expectations, but sometimes the expectations can make something good seem merely OK.
I wanted to love Parasite. It won best picture. I like Asian films. I am really interested in dialogs about class conflict and mobility. Many reviewer raved about this movie and I was very excited.
It was… fine. Well written, well directed, and well acted. However, I couldn’t get into it. I didn’t care about the characters, I found myself rooting against all of them. The imagery and symbolism was cool, but it wasn’t a lot of fun to watch the movie.
Knives Out appealed much more strongly to my tastes. It have very similar themes, but the ride was so much more enjoyable! Perhaps I am just a sucker for comedy? Maybe there is enough darkness in life that I don’t want to spend two hours exploring it.
Let’s compare and contrast the movies.
First, the cinematography, editing, music, and acting was absolutely first rate for both. The directing was strong, distinctive, and quite effective. The are both grand cinema. They are both movies of very high quality and substance.
Second, they both feature a strong cast that acts very, very well. The cast of Knives Out may be more well known throughout the world, with veteran Hollywood actors such as Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer (you know I’m old when I list him this early), Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, and many other familiar faces. Parasite’s actors will not be as easily recognized by western audiences, but based on the strength of the performances I expect we will see much more of Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-sik, Park So-dam, and the rest of the cast.
Third, both films were written and directed by progressive and interesting filmmakers. Before Knives Out, Rian Johnson directed Brick, Looper, and Star Wars The Last Jedi. Before Parasite, Bong Joon Ho directed The Host, Snowpiercer, and Okja. For both directors, their latest efforts reveal them to be artists in full command of their talents.
Fourth, both filmmakers also decided to explore the issue of class disparity and how even the wealthy can act as a leech upon the world. To both Johnson and Bong, the rich mostly look down their nose at the poor, live extravagantly, and pretend to treat their servants well. Both of them also manage to include secret doors as critical points to the plot!
Yet despite so many similarities, the fundamental differences set the films apart. The primary difference comes from the fun and likeability throughout the film.
In Parasite, the acting is high quality, but I can’t root for any of the characters. The acting is subtle and charming in its own way, but none of the characters seem to have redeeming characteristics. The poor take every opportunity to harm others to inch a bit higher to success and when things get weird, they continue to attack each other instead of helping anyone.. Since I cannot become engaged with the characters, I don’t feel bad for them when their luck turns and I don’t feel the same level of shock or amazement at the twists in the story.
In Knives Out, perhaps my history with the actors helps me to engage more with the characters. My nostalgia for their past work helps me become interested in their new roles and their roles in the movie. However, Rian Johnson also allows the characters to ooze charm. Like Parasite, most of the characters are selfish to the core, but the few characters in the film that try to be good people form the likeable axis around which everything, including the plot, turns. This provides a core for me to root for and to hold onto during the fun ride.
Is this difference inherently caused because of the reserved nature of Asian culture versus the brash culture of Americans and the English? It might be. I certainly don’t understand enough Korean to detect if they are using different language between social classes or adopting different languages when pretending to be higher in social status than they are. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to learn Korean any time soon to detect such subtleties and they are not conveyed in the English subtitles.
However, I think an even stronger basis for my preference comes from the way in which the poor act in each movie. In Parasite, the poor hide their true nature, savagely sabotage competitors, and turn to violence easily. This is not without some sympathy from the viewer. They starve, they take risks to save money or earn money, and the rich characters show their casual contempt often. Perhaps this is the more realistic take? However, it is not the more appealing one.
In Knives Out, the good characters constantly face temptation to join the rich characters in the film in corruption of character and decency. However, instead of attacking anyone, the good characters try to remain true to themselves and their morals – even at significant costs. Since this is how I try to live my life, I identify strongly with these characters and enjoy their arc.
Ultimately, both are fine movies. Both receive top marks for quality! However, if you are looking for fun, I more strongly recommend Knives Out over Parasite.