Unless you've been living under a rock, or were born yesterday, you'd be familiar with someone saying, "You are not your job, you're not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet". The "Fight Club" quote, like any other quote in the film (and the book), may sound cool and empowering, but only for a brief period. How practical is it to go through your life every day believing that your identity and self-esteem aren't associated with your job or social status at all?
Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), the protagonist of Park Chan-wook's latest feature "No Other Choice", would probably scoff at you for telling him not to associate his identity with his job. This is a man who had put so much effort into his top-level job at a paper manufacturing company for a little over two decades. Everything is hunky dory when the film introduces him and his family, living in a seemingly idyllic existence. He is about to get a rude awakening once he realises why he and his wife have been getting all those lavish gifts in the mail. It's the calm before the storm.
"No Other Choice", out on Mubi, finds Park at his funniest — even more than "The Handmaiden", if you recognised the touches of dark humour in it, that is. It's his most rewarding film in a long time. (No, I wasn't a fan of "Decision to Leave"). The usual Park trademarks are in full display — the double exposures, the stunning transition shots and match cuts, eccentric characters... Some clever work from the sound department elevates the film in some of its most pivotal plot turns. One particular sequence, involving three characters caught in an extremely awkward situation, in which they have to speak at the top of their voices while the music is playing at full volume. It's easily one of the tensest moments I've seen. The ensuing chaos and hilarity would feel right at home in a Coen Brothers film.
But then, one suddenly remembers that this story came from the imagination of author Donald E. Westlake, who, just like other dark humour-tinged crime fiction specialists such as Elmore Leonard and Jim Thompson, wasn't afraid to go a little unhinged when it comes to the absurd situations in which the characters would find themselves.
And one can see why Park, a filmmaker associated with multi-layered and morally complex films, was drawn to this subject. He can present a certain character and invites you to evaluate him/her from a distance rather than being fully involved or attached. But that’s tricky when it comes to his films, because there’s always an emotional layer in them. In "No Other Choice", however, it's hard not to get involved. How can one not, when Man-su's situation prompts their two adorable dogs to be shifted temporarily to their relatives' home, a much-unwelcome development which in turn leads to their autistic daughter being badly upset.
Is it possible, then, to still be on the side of the protagonist when he starts to kill the potential candidates for the next job he badly wants? It gets even more complicated when Park takes the time and effort to draw a clear picture of the family life of Man-su's potential targets. They, too, have loved ones dependent on them. They, too, have something to prove to themselves. They, too, yearn for the strict routine and discipline to which they tuned their daily habits. In one strange case, the target finds out his wife is cheating on him.
Gender dynamics are a key aspect of "No Other Choice", and the female performers put up as remarkable a show as the men. In fact, some of the insanely comical — or tragi-comic — scenarios wouldn't have been possible without their efficient involvement. The high level of insecurity that plagues relationships when you're out of a job, the inability of some men to take charge of their circumstances, the overwhelming pressure of expectations from every corner... What would you do if you were put in the same situation?
Film: No Other Choice
Director: Park Chan-wook
Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min
Rating: 4.5/5
