The thought of moving somewhere far off and beginning life anew is always a daunting idea as it means leaving behind a sense of familiarity and home.

Doubly so if you are the one initiating the move, with your spouse and children depending on you to carve a secure future with them in a foreign land.

At the moment, xenophobia towards Asians has been a topic of interest in the US, with racism rearing its ugly and deadly head.

Hence, Minari comes at quite the appropriate time to remind people that immigrants are humans just like everyone else, with hopes, dreams, fears and their own stories of hardship and heartache to tell.

Korean-American Lee Isaac Chung wrote and directed Minari based on his childhood experiences, having been raised on a farm in Arkansas.

The film’s name comes from a plant used widely in Korean cooking, sometimes called water celery, and quite possibly, it’s a metaphor to the immigrant experience.

Minari follows the story of the Yi family, with the Korean-born Jacob and Monica Yi moving to Arkansas with their young American-born children, Anne and David.

Jacob, played by The Walking Dead star, Steven Yeun, uproots his family in his bid to pursue his dream of working his own farm, growing Korean produce for the growing immigrant community there.

It should be noted that this film is less idealistic and more realistic, with the Yi family facing their own fair share of troubles.

For one, their new home is literally a trailer container, which Monica finds issues with in particular, especially when compared to their previous comfortable home.

In addition, their son has a heart condition that could possibly be fatal; a situation that any parent would find distressing.

And the family of four soon grows when Monica’s elderly mother, Soonja, flies in to live with them, disrupting family dynamics in the process.

She is not a grandmother who bakes cookies; but one who swears while watching wrestling matches and downs Mountain Dew like there’s no tomorrow.

Ultimately, the film is one that shares with the audience a slice of life, with every family member having their own story to tell.

Since the movie is a reflection on the director’s own experiences, there is a genuine emotion displayed through the characters’ thoughts and actions. Moments where the audience can surely empathise with the characters, having experienced similar miseries in their own lives.

Cultural differences are also addressed head on, with the Yi children in particular being ridiculed about their appearance, while Jacob himself looks down on the kooky rural folks.

He also befriends and hires Paul, a Korean War veteran who is a strange man of faith, who disdains going to church in favour of literally carrying a cross around on Sundays.

However, rather than mocking this eccentricity, Jacob embraces it; after all, everyone has their own set of quirks.

That applies to even the members of the Yi family, with the grandmother, Soonja, having similar behaviours to most Malaysian grandmothers.

Rough but good-hearted and experienced, she leaves quite the impression on her grandchildren, who have much to learn.

Jacob, on the other hand, has many responsibilities to carry on his back, having taken a big risk that could cost him much while rewarding him with nothing.

His struggle to succeed and keep his family together is the beating heart of the film and Yeun’s performance is one that is to be thoroughly admired.

He plays a man who appears to be of a cultivated breed, but has a whirlpool of emotions churning behind his stoic appearance.

Culture clashes are, as expected, one of the themes of the story; with the Yi couple fighting about their lack of common goals and hopes for the future and their children.

That is probably one of the most common issues in any relationship, and it’s quite likely to strike a chord with audience members.

With Jacob being an optimistic country boy with hopes of achieving the American Dream, Monica is a more pragmatic figure who was comfortable living in the city.

Questions about everyday practices are brought up, as the family is exposed to a completely different culture.

It’s not only the children who are struggling to fit in. The adults are too.

On a more technical side of things, the film is beautifully shot, offering atmospheric nature shots underlined with an excellent score.

While not groundbreaking, the visuals are pleasing to the eye and offer the audience an understanding of the setting where the story takes place.

While Minari is a seemingly simple story, it does an excellent job in providing the audience a look into the interesting lives of ordinary people.

For such a simple story, it does point out that life is more elaborate and complicated than anyone could possibly imagine.