Minari
A Korean American family's risky Arkansas farm venture becomes a tender test of ambition, belonging, and the bonds that hold them together.
Overview
A family's pursuit of the American Dream unfolds amidst the challenges of rural life.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- tender
- wistful
- heart-wrenching
- quiet weekend
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Minari as an intimate, beautifully acted, and emotionally resonant portrait of Korean American family life and assimilation in 1980s rural America.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jacob and Monica balance Korean family traditions with the demands of rural American life while raising David and Anne.
Jacob's 50-acre farm represents upward mobility, but financial disaster remains an immediate threat.
The Arkansas farmland and trailer home frame the family's conflicts through quietly observed domestic and agricultural routines.
Soonja's arrival changes David's relationship to his Korean heritage and helps reorganize the family's emotional bonds.
Films like Minari, and why
The Farewell
shared intimate family drama, immigrant experience, rural setting, and gentle emotional realism
Boyhood
shared coming-of-age perspective, family conflict, cultural identity, and autobiographical warmth
The Florida Project
shared rural family drama, economic pressure, parental ambition, and understated poignancy
Pachinko
shared Korean American identity, intergenerational tension, and emotionally restrained family storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- Lee Isaac Chung
- Release Date
- 2021-02-12
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (1933)
Cast
- Steven Yeun
- Han Ye-ri
- Youn Yuh-jung
- Will Patton
- Alan Kim
- Noel Kate Cho
- Darryl Cox
- Esther Moon
- Ben Hall
- Eric Starkey
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, OnDemandKorea
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Minari about?
- A Korean American family's risky Arkansas farm venture becomes a tender test of ambition, belonging, and the bonds that hold them together.
- What is Minari like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Minari as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Minari violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Minari.
- What did critics think of Minari?
- Critics broadly praised Minari as an intimate, beautifully acted, and emotionally resonant portrait of Korean American family life and assimilation in 1980s rural America.
- Which films are like Minari?
- Films with a similar feel include The Farewell, Boyhood, The Florida Project, and Pachinko.
- How long is Minari?
- Minari runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Minari?
- In United States, Minari is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, OnDemandKorea.
