A One Mann’s Movies review of “No Other Choice” (From the 2025 London Film Festival). (2025, 4*, ’15’).
Original title: Eojjeolsuga eobsda
I’d seen 2013’s “Stoker” (3.5*), but I really loved Park Chan-wook’s Oscar-nominated 2022 thriller “Decision to Leave” (4.5*). This time, his new film – “No Other Choice” – is equally dark, but leans much more heavily into black comedy than the thriller elements and it’s another delight.
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
Man-soo (Lee Byung-hun) is a mid-level manager at a paper mill, subject to a US takeover and ‘streamlining’. Finding himself, bitter and frustrated, on the job market again he realises that there are other workers on the job market more likely to get jobs with other paper-makers than he is. But every problem has a solution and, in desperation, he comes up with a murderous plan.
Certification:
UK: NR; US: NR. (The film has not yet been rated by the BBFC but I would expect it to be a 15 for violence and language.)
Talent:
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, Yoo Yeon-seok, Oh Dal-su, Lee Seok-hyeong.
Directed by: Park Chan-wook.
Written by: Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee & Don McKellar. (Based on the novel “The Ax” by Donald E. Westlake.)
Running Time: 2h 19m.
Summary:
Positives:
- Extremely engaging filmmaking with some terrifically striking cinematography.
- Well exceeds the 6-laughs test for a comedy.
Negatives:
- I know things in South Korea are a bit different, but the plot is unbelievably daft.
Full Review of “No Other Choice”:
Setting the scene.
The film opens with a gloriously bucolic scene. Man-soo (Lee Byung-hun), Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), their two children Si-one and Ri-one (no credit available yet) and their two dogs Si-two and Ri-two are in their garden. The sun is shining; the sky is blue; Ri is practising her cello (that’s Ri-two… the dog’s a lazy bastard). The scene is gloriously shot (cinematography by Kim Woo-hyung) such that the family scene could not have looked more idyllic. You are well aware that the director is preparing you, the viewer, for a fall!
The chop for Man-soo at Solar Paper comes fast and hard. The company provides those laid off with a counselling session, requiring platitudes and a repetitive tapping of the forehead, in brainwashing fashion, to make it sink in!
The pay off doesn’t last long.
It’s a story many people can relate to. Even though Man-soo was “2019 Pulp Man of the Year”, he struggles to get a job. A cringe-worthy interview at another paper company sees him blinded by sunlight and making a complete fool of himself by trying to be too humorous.
Although Man-soo has redundancy pay, the pressure starts to grow as his period of unemployment enters its sixth month. His wife Mi-ri goes back to work as a dental hygienist, with her boss (Yoo Yeon-seok) clearly interested in removing more than her plaque! Man-soo hatches a truly evil plan: a plan that both creates a new position for him but which also puts him in pole position to acquire it by disposing of his primary rivals, Goo Beom-mo (Lee Sung-min) and Go Si-jo (Cha Seung-won).
His plan involves fabricating a new paper company and recruiting for it. Applicants cannot apply via the internet, but must send in paper applications (“If we don’t use paper, who will?” – LOL).
The worst hit-man in history.
The film turns to murderous farce. Sadly, Man-soo is a terrible murderer. In one attempt in the countryside, he is interrupted by a vicious snake-bite! And later, in a truly hilarious scene, we see his attempt to dispose of Gu Bummo (Lee Sung-min) being interrupted by his wife Ah-ra (Yeom Hye-ran) while music blares out at full volume.
His final target is Choi Seon-chul (Park Hee-soon), who’s already escaped a gravity assisted (very wet) plant-pot. The scene is horribly and grotesquely enacted (which rather turned me off Man-soo as a human being) but incredibly shot. There is one particular shot in this scene, with two beers and a smoking cigar in the foreground, that is one of those shots that I just thought was truly-class cinema…. one for the “One Perfect Shot” X-feed.
Summary Thoughts:
This is a long film, but I was never once bored. The film moves along at a brilliant pace and as Man-soo digs an ever-deeper hole for himself – constantly muttering that he has “No Other Choice” – I couldn’t help but pity his criminality. It’s highly recommended, and in writing this up I’m questioning if I’ve been a tad mean with my rating.
The film is confirmed to be getting a theatrical release in the UK although the distributor, MUBI, has yet to provide a specific date for that.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer for the film is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U77zLDDdjc.
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