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Our take
A jobless family works its way into a wealthy household, and what begins as a clever con becomes something much darker. Parasite can be funny, but the basement reveal, mounting dread and bloody stabbings change the feel of the night. There is also some sexual content and class humiliation. For us, this is 16 and up.
Uplifting themes
The film points hard at how unfair the gap between rich and poor can be, and shows a family that sticks together. It offers no easy answers, and the cons carry costs The Kim family is close, quick-witted, and clearly loves each other, but they lie, forge papers, and trick their way into new jobs. Few of them are worth copying, and the film leaves that discomfort with you Gives teens a way into talking about class, housing, and wealth in modern South Korea, with sharp storytelling and strong symbolism
Story (may spoil tone)
All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Violence is sparse for most of the film, then erupts into stabbings and…
Violence is sparse for most of the film, then erupts into stabbings and a chaotic attack at a garden party. A beating and threats with a blade come earlier
Language The subtitles include the s-word, the b-word, hell and damn, mainly in…
The subtitles include the s-word, the b-word, hell and damn, mainly in arguments and the tense final stretch. The insults aimed at poorer characters can sting more than the swearing
Sex / nudity Sex comes up in jokes about a car and in a short intimate scene between…
Sex comes up in jokes about a car and in a short intimate scene between a couple, shown mostly through sound and partial views. Nothing very explicit, but it is clearly adult
Drugs / alcohol Characters drink whiskey and beer at home and in bars, smoke cigarettes…
Characters drink whiskey and beer at home and in bars, smoke cigarettes, and one scene jokes about meth or cocaine. Drinking is part of the wealthy home's comfort
Frightening A sudden reveal in a dark basement, a long hide-and-seek inside a house…
A sudden reveal in a dark basement, a long hide-and-seek inside a house, and building dread make the middle and end very tense. The mood turns from comic to bleak
Child peril / abuse A young boy is badly frightened by something he sees in the house and l…
A young boy is badly frightened by something he sees in the house and later collapses during a violent attack at his birthday party. His distress is shown on screen
Bullying / discrimination Constant contempt for the poor runs through the film, including remarks…
Constant contempt for the poor runs through the film, including remarks about how people smell and who is beneath others. The humiliation is hard to miss and drives the story's darkest turns
Gore / death / weapons Blood is heavy in the climax, with stab wounds, pooling blood, and peop…
Blood is heavy in the climax, with stab wounds, pooling blood, and people trying to stop a bleed. Bodies are shown, and knives and other weapons are used
Dangerous behaviour Characters forge documents, lie about their qualifications, and trick p…
Characters forge documents, lie about their qualifications, and trick people out of their jobs. Teens may find the cleverness fun without seeing the risk
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- The Kim family's cons feel clever at first. When did you start to feel uneasy about what they were doing?
- The film shows rich and poor living in very different spaces. What did the houses and the weather say about how each family was treated?
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Parasite
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