Minari * * * *

Set in the eighties, it's the story of the childhood of writer/director, Lee Isaac Chung and mostly told through his observations as a child.  Recently immigrated from Korea, his optimistic father buys land in Arkansas in the hope of becoming a successful small farmer of rare crops. 

Minari of Wrath

He has a caring elder sister and a worrying mother - then his Grandma is imported, and in no way is she the traditional Grandma.  As David observes, "She can't even bake cookies'.  But she is excellent in teaching the children how to play cards and curse your opponent. Further to the family there is the delightfully and annoying eccentric neighbor Paul who just seems to love working with them.

His fathers dream presents many challenges to overcome. (Yeah, I know, you've heard that story before.) But like many stories, it's all in the telling.  And the telling of this is beautifully done, even if it is traditional, as it uses the typical rural struggle symbols of water, storm, fire. 

Its the kind of story John Steinbeck might have written.  Just replace the Mexicans with Koreans.  You can also delight in the fact that its true.