Watch Minari (2020) online

Minari (Korean: 미나리, lit. 'water dropwort', [minaɾi]) is a 2020 American drama film written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung. It stars Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Youn Yuh-jung, and Will Patton. A semi-autobiographical take on Chung's upbringing, the plot follows a family of South Korean immigrants who try to make it in rural America during the 1980s.

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2020, winning both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award. It began a one week virtual release on December 11, 2020, and was theatrically released on February 12, 2021, by A24. It was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review, and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Korean American Yi family moves from California into their new plot of land in rural Arkansas, where Jacob hopes to grow Korean produce to sell to vendors in Dallas. One of his first decisions is to decline the services of a water diviner and he digs a well in a spot he finds on his own. He enlists the help of Paul, a local man who is religious. While he is optimistic about the life ahead, his wife Monica is disappointed and worries about their son David's heart condition. Jacob and Monica work sexing chicks at the nearby hatchery and argue constantly while David and his sister Anne eavesdrop.

To help watch the kids during the day, they arrange for Monica's mother Soon-ja to travel from Korea. David, who is forced to share a room with her, avoids her because she does not conform to his idea of how a grandmother should be. Still, Soon-ja attempts to adjust to life in the States and bond with the children.

The well that Jacob dug runs dry. Jacob is reluctant to pay for county water, but eventually is forced to do so. He runs into additional difficulties, such as the vendor in Dallas cancelling their order at the last minute. Still, he perseveres despite Monica's repeated desires to return to California. This strains their marriage closer to a breaking point.

Meanwhile, Soon-ja takes the children to plant minari seeds by the creek. She tells them of how resilient and useful the plant is, and predicts plentiful growth. David finally begins to warm to his grandmother after she teaches him card games, bandages his wounds, and soothes him to sleep.

Soon-ja suddenly suffers a stroke overnight. She survives with medical treatment, but is left with impaired movement and speech.