Park Chan wook’s film “No Other Choice” is my favorite film of the year. It is angry, funny and very sad at the same time. For me, it is his best work since The Handmaiden.
The story follows You Man soo, played by Lee Byung hun. He is a loyal paper factory manager who loses his job after twenty five years. For him, this is not just losing a salary. It feels like losing his whole identity. He is so scared of dropping in status that he decides to kill the other people who are applying for the same job. It is a horrible choice, but the film makes it clear why he feels pushed to that point.
Lee Byung hun is amazing here. He starts as a normal, slightly proud family man. Step by step, he becomes desperate, then dangerous. You can see shame and fear in his eyes even when he smiles. I think he deserves an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Son Ye jin plays his wife Mi ri. She is practical, smart and tired. She tries to keep the family together while he falls apart. She gives the film a human center and some quiet humor.
But the supporting performance that truly shocked me is from Lee Sung Min. He plays one of the paper industry veterans who becomes a target. He appears tired, drunk, sad and full of quiet dignity. The basement scene with Lee Byung hun is my favorite of the entire year. It starts almost funny, then becomes loud and wild and then suddenly turns terrifying. Lee Sung Min shows the whole life of a man who gave everything to his job and has nothing left. His acting is brilliant. I would nominate him for Best Supporting Actor without hesitation.
The first half of the film feels like a dark cartoon. Man soo keeps failing in stupid, messy ways. There is loud music, slapstick fights and scenes where you want to laugh and cry at the same time. Then the second half turns cold and serious. As Man soo becomes better at killing, the colors get darker, the lighting changes and the mood becomes heavy and tense. This change in tone is clear and very well controlled.
Park Chan wook’s direction is brilliant. The camera is always doing something interesting. The editing is sharp and creative. Some scenes cut together sound, movement and music in a way that took my breath away. The sound design is also very strong. Little noises like footsteps or paper moving feel like judgment. The mix of songs and score builds great tension. For me, this film should be up for Oscars for Best Editing and Best Original Score.
What makes No Other Choice special is its idea. Park is not only talking about money. He is talking about how capitalism makes us believe that our job is our value. Man soo is not afraid of hunger. He is afraid of losing his house, his status, his Netflix, his image as a successful father. He goes to extreme violence just to protect an image of dignity. In the end, he is copying the same cruel system that fired him.
Because of this, I think the film deserves serious awards attention. In my opinion it should be nominated for Best International Feature, Best Directing for Park Chan wook, Best Actor for Lee Byung hun, Best Supporting Actor for Son Ye jin, Best Editing, and Best Original Score.
No Other Choice is a dark comedy, a thriller and a tragedy in one. It feels very close to our real world. For me, it is not only one of the best films of the year, but also an instant modern classic.