Minari

Every movie should fall into one (or more) of the following categories:

1. Story (see Apollo 13)

2. Character (see As Good As It Gets)

3. Action (see Jurassic Park)

Obviously the great films span all three categories; for example, Braveheart excels at each, and beats almost every single-category movie at their respective game.

The film Minari doesn't belong in any of the three categories; it has not plot, its characters are unremarkable, and nothing happens.  Minari is about a family that has moved from California to Arkansas so that they can carve out a piece of the American dream by owning their own home and land.  As might be expected, there are challenges and hardships that accompany the transition.  One of the first nights in their new home there is a tornado warning, and not surprisingly everyone is frightened.  The father takes up farming in an attempt to provide for his family, the wife's mother moves in, the son has a heart condition, and the daughter wants to fit in with her peers.  I should have started this paragraph by saying "spoiler alert", because I just described the entire film.  The interesting thing is that I actually enjoyed the film, and I am glad to have seen it.  From time to time it's good to take a break from movies that have plots, characters, and action.  Sometimes it's good to just take a glimpse into another family's life, and look for the lessons that can be learned.