It takes a substantial amount of grace to narrate painful memories without overidentifying the pain as a form of tear-jerker melodrama. Minari is deeply aching, but it's aware of its own paradox as it's capable to hold the agony in a tender grip.

This classic immigrant story mirrors familiar struggles of the older generation, but it collects authentic tales that appear as much to be uniquely personal as much worthy to be told.

Rather than idealize the story from the younger generation's perspective, this film aims to reveal all the truth from hardship inside a fractured family that never seems to get better. But in-between, this film is always able to pervade the arduous journey with charms and magical moments.