What do you do when you lose your job and you can’t get a new one? You eliminate the competition, of course.
By murdering them.
If the premise for “No Other Choice” sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. But that’s what’s so fun about Park Chan-wook’s dark comedy. You find yourself cheering on Yoo Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) as the film’s murderously endearing hero — an unlikely killer who waffles his way through a twice-baked plan hatched to restore his employment.
And why not? Man-su has worked at Solar Paper for 25 years. It’s provided him with enough income to buy his childhood home (complete with a greenhouse), serve his family eel and keep his wife in tennis lessons and dance class. He is even able to provide expensive cello lessons for his daughter.
Man-su is so joyous and sure of his place in the world that in the opening scene he gathers his family in a gleeful hug and proclaims, “I’ve got it all.”
It all goes downhill from there.
Man-su gets laid off, and after 13 months of dead ends, they have to sell their house, re-home their dogs and (gasp) cancel Netflix.
Our hero decides that he has to do something drastic to get a new job; he must kill off the candidates who are better-qualified than he is to better his chances of employment. He has “no other choice.”
This film is poignant and timely, dabbling in themes relating to AI and capitalism, in a world where everyone is replaceable. You’ll also pick up themes relating to male vulnerability, violence against the environment, and the urge to stick with old traditions, whether they make sense or not.
As Man-su struggles to find meaning and purpose in a life that has replaced him with a robot, he clings to his plan…a deliciously dark adventure that makes no promises. Overall, “No Other Choice” is a cruel, capricious caper laced with laughs and chilling insights.
Movie Times: Click here
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Park Chan-wook
Actors: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-Jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran
Running Time: 2 hours 19 minutes
Rating: R
