Best Actor 2020: Steven Yeun in Minari

Steven Yeun received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Jacob Yi in Minari. 

Minari is a great film depicting a family of Korean immigrants trying to start a farm in Arkansas during the 1980's. 

Steven Yeun with this Oscar nomination makes academy history by becoming the first Korean and even first East Asian born actor to be nominated in this category. An achievement in itself, however also notable is the nature of this role, which is not the type frequently recognized by the academy, that of the introverted man. I'll admit I have a special appreciation for the successful depiction of introverts, because it is so frequently screwed up to become either just different quirky kind of extrovert or just plainly dull. A great introverted turn needs to to say so much in often so little. Now let's take Steven Yeun's performance here as the patriarch of the family, who we follow just as they've moved to Arkansas. Now from the outset this is just a performance that exudes authenticity as this Korean immigrant father. This as even his American accent that isn't at all like Yeun's actual accent, this as Jacob has a somewhat broken American accent. It is so naturally handled by Yeun in creating a sense of really the amount of time that Jacob has spent in America. This as he has a certain level of comfort in speaking English, yet clearly has only learned over the past few years. This flawless bit of establishing the history of the man though is really only the tip of the ice berg in his realization of this man. 

I think it is worth noting really how far away his presence here is actually from a lot of Yeun's recent work, such as his goofy yet endearing turns in Okja and Sorry To Bother You, or his criminally overlooked turn in Burning as a slick yet ambiguously sinister playboy. You can forget that entirely as Yeun exudes a entirely different presence here. This as there is an innate maturity here of a father just in the way he moves really, and just his manner within his family. Yeun has kind of the right almost wear, for the lack of a better word, in we can see the years of the family on him. This is not in a negative way, rather just that weight of responsibility is within Yeun's work. You never second guess him as the family man, he simply is this father here, and you feel the right connection within the family. I have to say it is here where you get the greatness of Yeun work in creating Jacob as this introvert, as we see him in different situations, rightly Yeun depicts very different sides to the man. I think it is important here that this isn't played by Yeun as different facades or anything like that, rather we see the different qualities the man needs to project depending where he is, or what it is that he has to do. 

Take Yeun's scenes where we see Jacob interacting with the local peoples, rather that is occasionally with slight social interaction or with some business in mind. In the former Yeun projects the man as being very closed off within his space. Yeun though is careful in this as he so naturally shows in this manner who just as a man who prefers to keep to himself and his family. There isn't a hostility within it, rather just almost a kind of solace of being apart, and being where he is most comfortable. When speaking to business arrangements Yeun projects more directly however within this Yeun presents a man very much doing what he has to in order to get what he needs for his farm. Yeun bringing the appropriate courtesy but still very much a distance in keeping it as businesslike as possible within the arrangement. There is a great touch in this with Jacob's interactions with a local man, who ends up working for him, Paul (Will Patton). Early on you have the same kind of passive distance in Yeun's delivery in their initial interaction. Afterwards, while I wouldn't quite say Yeun shows Jacob warming up to him, he brings such a natural slightly more open quality in his reactions. This in showing a bit more direct emotion and casual manner in his speaking towards the man, this opening up, not in the more obvious way, but in a way that is entirely befitting Jacob's more introverted style.  

This all though is in contrast with how Jacob is with his family, and in this we see so much of who the man is by how Yeun approaches these scenes opposed to those outside his homestead. Yeun is fantastic in naturally showing the other side to the man, not a as a different man, but that man being able to be himself. Although here we see how finely tuned Yeun is to this character by the way he differentiates his scenes with each family member, that grants more there than is even written. Take his relationship with his children particularly his son David (Alan Kim). This as Yeun brings so much warmth to the father in the moments of trying to excite the kids within their new surroundings. This is earnest as Yeun shows only a pure sense of the man trying to share his own excitement with them. In this though there is even the right playfulness in their interaction as a truly loving father, and you get a real sense of the family dynamic within this. There is wonderful moment early on with David where the two discover how to find water without hiring a water diviner. This is a pitch perfect scene for Yeun, as he brings a sense of fun in just the way he tries to prod his son to finding the solution. Then there is so much pride and love as his son seems to find the solution. The little asides about Koreans being smart, bring such an endearing quality as he shares his personal pride with his son with such authentic intimacy. It is worth noting though Yeun is just as convincing in disciplining his son. I love how direct and simple Yeun's delivery is in these moments, as a no nonsense, simple request for David "To find a stick". This also is no joke in Yeun's performance, rather he upfront shows Jacob will have no disrespect from his son. 

Now his relationship with his wife's mother (Youn Yuh-jung) and his wife Monica (Han Ye-ri), is really the crux to the brilliance of this performance. I love how it isn't said, however just from the performances you can sense that Jacob never entirely came to connect with his mother in law. This as just when Jacob speaks to her, and with her, it is only ever with a respectable distance. In that Yeun evokes no overt connection, but rather just doing what he should do as a proper son in law. Now with his relationship with Monica, I think this is where you know the film was made by an actual Korean, and because there is no outside looking in quality to this, this as they'll have the insight to depict a family, honestly, and well families don't always get along. There is so much here really to every interaction they have in creating their relationship. It really is outstanding work, because there is only really a few lines that speak directly to this, yet this is felt so clearly within their performance. This as we know the tension built from the move the family took away from the city and to this rural area. The opening where they come across the house, their separation is so well realized by both actors as we completely understand where each is coming from in this regard. This as Yeun shows such joy in seeing his new house, where his field will be, meanwhile Han shows the almost disgust at seeing essentially the trailer they will be staying at in the middle of nowhere. The moment even in getting in the house, Yeun shows the enthusiasm as Jacob tries to urge Monica in, while Monica pushes him away when refusing the help, which shows she doesn't really want any help from him at this point. The two's tension is really perfectly realized as you get the coldness presently from Monica to Jacob, however even in that you sense not strangers, but two people who were once so intimate being pulled apart by conflict.

What we get is a fantastic and so powerfully realized sense of their marriage that is on the border of breaking. What is so remarkable about this is as it is directly connected to Jacob's dream. Now to speak on the dream, we must see where Yeun is amazing in expressing such a genuine jubilation at the idea of it. When he speaks to wanting to grow Korean vegetables and sell them, he speaks with a explosive energy. He not only believes it, he wants to sell it to his whole family on the idea. There is such a potent passion within every moment reflecting this. This as he speaks to the need for the farm, Yeun emphasizes always this real personal enthusiasm that is of such a pure place in his heart. When we simply see Jacob plowing his field, the bliss on Yeun's face is amazing, as he expresses a man truly living his dream. What I then love is that we see really a struggle with dreams, which is the possible collateral damage of them. This is in his conflict with his wife, where Yeun presents the man who does put his dream first. This as when the whole family seems potentially in danger in a storm, Yeun still reacts with a pure optimism, which is true to Jacob at this point, while also shows that Jacob isn't being wholly sensitive to those who can't quite see his perspective. This isn't to say there is a simplification of the dream. In fact his connection with his wife is found within it. There is a great little moment early on between David and Jacob, where the former asks what happens to male chicks at a chicken farm after being separated from the females. As Jacob notes they're gotten rid of, he speaks towards the fact they best make themselves useful. Yeun emphasizes a weight into this line, and in that granting the responsibility within his dream to living up to this family. We see then as the farming isn't going perfectly, Yeun expresses powerfully the frustrations that grow. This so effectively in showing such a typically quiet man's frustrations that are so well portrayed by Yeun because he's yelling, you can always see him trying to hold himself back before getting caught up with the emotion again. It is not his nature to do so, but still shows such a man can be overwhelmed. There's an essential moment where after a rough day, Jacob finally speaks to understanding Monica's frustrations and why should could leave. Yeun's expression of this defeat is heartbreaking as there is such an honest desire to provide for his family within this moment of also trying to connect with his wife against as his dream begins to seem further out of reach. We see though in Yeun's work a persistence in himself to stay with his dream no matter what. It becomes a heartbreaking as Yeun expresses the tempered dream, this still a drive, but now with a sadness as though he may never be able to achieve it. The final fight between Jacob and Monica, is incredible acting by both Yeun and Han. They're work isn't about any overt rage, rather we just see so pointedly each person's point of view filtered between their long history. They fight having known each other for so long, having loved each other for so long, but now are at this point. This is a brilliant performance by Steven Yeun, as he always stays true to the quiet nature of his character, yet in that expresses still so much in crafting this powerful and vivid empathetic portrait of a man trying to achieve the American dream.