‘No Other Choice’ finds a man on the brink of losing everything decide murder is the only remaining solution to his joblessness.
Finding a job in the current climate can be a difficult prospect. With so many companies downsizing or closing, the sea of employment seekers is flooded. Competing against hundreds or even thousands of other applicants with similar qualifications is a daunting task. There’s only so many job openings, particularly in middle management or above, so the odds are stacked against most candidates. Everyone is looking for a leg up, whether that be an inside connection, resume hack or AI trick, just to secure an interview. In No Other Choice, a former manager is desperate to secure employment before his family loses their house.
Yoo Man-soo (Lee Byung Hun) is a “Paper Man of the Year.” Unfortunately, so are some of the other candidates applying for the same positions. When his paper company downsized, a lot of qualified people lost their jobs. However, paper manufacturing is a niche and diminishing market, so new career opportunities are slim.
Man-soo was sure it would only be a few months before he was back in an office. But a year later, his retail job can’t support their lifestyle and they’ve fallen behind on bill payments. Finally, a good position opens at an up-and-coming paper company. But there’s only one way to guarantee Man-soo gets the job: eliminate the competition.
At the film’s start, Man-soo appears to have it all: a loving wife (Son Yejin), two kids, two dogs, a beautiful home and a good job. But losing the latter quickly puts everything else on a downward trajectory. They must tighten the family’s belt, which means no more extracurricular activities for anyone. It’s difficult for the family, but the possibility of losing the house is the last straw. Man-soo decides he will do whatever it takes to get a job and save their home.
The idea comes to Man-soo in an epiphany that most people would dismiss – but he’s desperate. He isn’t an assassin or even a low-level criminal, so his path to murder is fraught with comedic errors. The initial process for selecting the targets is calculated, designed to only identify those Man-soo could not out-qualify. After all, he doesn’t want to kill more people than necessary.
Unsurprisingly, actually committing the crimes goes less smoothly. He tries to construct a meticulous plan to quietly dispatch his first victim. But he’s nearly discovered multiple times before haphazardly trying to prevent the ruin of the man’s marriage. The film is farce undercut with black comedy as Man-soo clumsily attempts to kill the competition.
It’s easy to see co-writer and director Park Chan-wook, and Canadian co-writer Don McKellar in the script, which balances family drama with a dark sense of humour. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, but it’s designed to be more absurd than outright funny. At 139 minutes, it could be tighter, but the film is engaging enough that the length is not that noticeable.
No Other Choice had its North American premiere in the Gala Presentations programme at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Read other reviews from the festival.
Director: Park Chan-wook
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin and Park Hee-soon
