User reviews

"Paper has fed me for 25 years. Honey, I have no other choice." Park Chan-wook, master of black comedy, definitively already a living legend, delivers yet another masterpiece. So dark, so funny. The plot takes quite a while to fully kick in. But once it does, the film is unstoppably riveting. A flawless central performance from Lee Byung-hun, and fantastic turns from the rest of the cast.🔥

Watched at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

This is no where near the best movie Park Chan-wook has made. But Chan-wook once again strikes another dark comedy thriller exploring about the modern climates of the social class system, labor force, and commentary between people, contradictions, and insanity. Chan-wook has always never shy away from dark yet hilarious approaches with the writing and tone. Throughout, Chan-wook takes liberty on bringing the atmosphere, humor, production designs, camerawork and writing to light with's it's strong ambitious direction. Each scene with the camerawork felt purposeful, the production designs, costumes, music, and sound designs are excellent, and Chan-wook's direction is brilliant and meaningful.

The character portrayed by Lee Byung-hun is interesting as both a depressed, frustrated, at times, pathetic and engaging character. Byung-hun gives one of the best performances in recent times, alongside with the other performances as well. I really enjoyed how the Byung-hun's character was portrayed and developed. As his character resonates with the modern critique of the workforce, people, and the paradox between one another. The writing is pretty great as the irony and satirical aspects explored were well-written and quite brilliant.

While I did wish some of the other characters could have been developed a little more, as a whole, Chan-wook reminds us why he is one of the master's of Korean cinema.

Park Chan-wook delivers a witty, black comedy short that exposes the dehumanization of modern labor, blending humor and social critique in a visually precise, intelligent style. The film uses irony and paradox to highlight workplace contradictions, keeping audiences engaged while making a sharp commentary on contemporary work culture.

Despite its cleverness, the short runtime limits character and theme development, leaving some ideas only partially explored. Repetitive moments and compressed storytelling prevent the film from achieving a higher emotional or philosophical impact, keeping it just short of true brilliance.

Overall, No Other Choice is an impressive, visually polished critique of modern work that reflects Park Chan-wook's signature mastery of tone, irony, and social satire, making it a must-watch for fans of intelligent black comedy.

• Watched at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sept. 9, 2025 (First Watch)
• Format: Regular theatre
• Rating: 9/10

I could speak about this film for hours and it still wouldn't be enough. Director Park Chan-wook delivers something both unique and deeply characteristic of his style. Paired with actor Lee Byung-hun, the two create a remarkable actor-director synergy, a chemistry that permeates the film from start to finish.

This is a meticulously crafted work, filled with details and Easter eggs that practically demand a second viewing. I'm confident No Other Choice is one of those films that will not only hold up but reveal even more on rewatch-perhaps resonating even stronger the second time around.

Although the narrative moves at a deliberately slow pace, it never drags or feels dull. Instead, it pulls the viewer in, making you eager to follow the protagonist's strange journey-full of questions, twists, and unexpected turns-all leading to an ending that feels worth the wait.

Visually, the film is a feast. Its engaging sequences, combined with elegant editing and seamless transitions-often using dissolves-create a flow that feels both natural and artistic. Park's direction ties everything together masterfully, with the soundtrack standing out as one of the film's strongest elements. One sequence in particular, a tense confrontation involving multiple characters set against a track blasted at high volume, perfectly encapsulates the brilliance of this cinematic experience.

Social media coaches haven't picked up on this employment strategy yet.

Finally a movie for all your jobless friends. Not only will they be entertained, they'll learn something. Just make sure they're not horticulture experts and that they don't own North Korean firearms.

Social commentary here is debatable. It doesn't really matter, though. Park Chan-wook is still endlessly creative with his material, from his camera angles to his editing.

While the opening scenes set up a thriller with a formula, you soon realize that it's comedic pathos that follows its own rhythm.

By the way, these are the effects of writing everything on your phone. Buy some notebooks once in a while.

I went into No Other Choice with pretty high expectations, mostly because so many people kept comparing it to Parasite and other big Korean films. And honestly, you can feel the filmmakers really tried to make something meaningful. It's a very good-looking movie - sometimes even kind of breathtaking. The cinematography stood out the most for me: the lighting, the framing, the whole atmosphere. You can tell this wasn't done on autopilot or rushed.

But even with all that, the film didn't fully work for me. It tries to mix satire, drama and thriller elements, and it never really finds a stable balance. Some of the tone shifts felt a bit off. Maybe it's also me not connecting with that specific type of Korean humor, but the satirical stuff didn't land at all. And the dramatic moments felt a little pushed, like they were supposed to hit harder than they actually do. The thriller part also never built the tension I was waiting for.

There are interesting ideas here, and I do respect the ambition behind it. I wouldn't call the movie bad - it's clearly made with care and a lot of effort. It just isn't in the same league as Parasite or anything from Park Chan-wook.

It aims pretty high, and I appreciate that, but the final result feels more like something that "looks" artistic rather than something that really hits emotionally or narratively.

You can clearly feel the influences and structures from Parasite, but the film never reaches the same consistency or impact - every scene in Parasite worked perfectly, while here it mostly feels like an attempt.

So yeah, I'm giving it a 6/10. Mostly because the visual side is fantastic and you can see the work behind it. I just wish the story and the tone matched the quality of the images.

In an era where AI and robots are replacing labor, the value of human existence is rapidly diminishing, even threatening the very survival of craftsmanship and intangible heritage. This film captures, with both bitterness and irony, the unease that comes with the march of civilization. Park Chan-wook's signature mise-en-scène and artificial allure shine once again here, as he stages the inevitable dilemma of humans forced to point their guns at one another with a kind of chaotic humor. Among his filmography, this is arguably his most maximalist work, with a raucous ensemble of performances and sound design that gives palpable weight to the spaces they inhabit.

A portrait of our lives in a rapidly changing age, the film also quietly weaves in reflections on family.

The film No Other Choice portrays the unfolding of a most improbable event-serial murder-arising inevitably from circumstances that could happen to anyone: aging, unemployment, family troubles. From the moment I stepped into the black comedy the writer and director intended, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen for nearly three hours of running time. Not a single scene feels wasted; every moment seems meticulously crafted, inspiring admiration for the care put into its making. The aesthetic beauty characteristic of director Park Chan-wook-his mastery of harmonizing mise-en-scène and music-permeates every dark corner of the film. The occasional bursts of sharp, ironic humor are also exceptional.

We come to resent the phrase "there was no other choice" and those who use it as an excuse, yet at the same time, we feel deep compassion for the villains who struggle to do their best before their families and before life itself. In the end, the film delivers a powerful message: this question concerns us all.

"No Other Choice" is the latest from Korean director Park Chan-wook. I saw it in a film festival and assume it will be more widely available here in the States in the near future.

When the story begins, you see that Man-soo has a good life. He's a manager at a paper plant, has a lovely wife, two kids and lives in an amazingly lovely home. Life is good...and then one day he is fired. Being an older worker, he has a lot of difficulty finding work and later, in desperation, he comes upon the idea of killing his competition for jobs!

To say this movie is dark is an understatement! It's very darkly comical and it's certainly NOT the sort of thing you'd expect to come from Hollywood. It's very well acted, very engaging and is well worth seeing. Not for everyone, however, as it is a bit bloody and nasty, but I think the director did a good job not overwhelming the audience with gore.

Dark comedies thrive on the delicate balance between drama and humour; it's a tightrope walk where tipping too far in either direction can derail the entire experience.

However, I'm thrilled to announce that Park Chan-wook, with "No Other Choice," has masterfully struck that balance. This is clearly showcased in various sequences, none of which feel disjointed or out of sync.

Their impacts are further elevated by the stellar performance of Lee Byung-hun, who portrays a middle-aged man, Yoo, Man-su, who's grappling with recent unemployment and willing to take drastic measures to reclaim his job and social status.

I adore how Park Chan-wook navigates the intricate interplay of comedy and emotion without shying away from delivering a poignant commentary piece on late stage capitalism. The film sharply critiques job insecurities, the dehumanisation of workers, and the loss of agency and authority of a "Patriarchal" figure in a household that often accompanies their sudden layoffs.

It's all presented in a neatly packaged narrative, though I wish the screenplay had been a bit more tight and more precise in certain areas. The pacing and flow of the narration periodically falter due to some strange editing and 'transitional' choices, choices that made little sense.

This movie is no Parasite. The story is weak, unconvincing, dated and deja vu. The characters are unsympathetic which is unusual for a Korean movie. K movies usually get the sympathy of audiences very effectively and quickly. But in this story the laid off father has to down size a bit - not starving by any means and yet he resorts to murdering his potential rivals for a job. The justifications for his scheme are weak and some come after the murder scheme has already started. Also there isn't much humor in the show. Just a bit of corny dance moves. The black comedy part is weak. The murders get increasingly gross, not Hollywood graphic but the last one is unnecessarily unpleasant. The problem is the source material an American novel just isn't good. Adapting a Western satire to Korea doesn't work. The values are too different. Just doesn't cut it in Korea because the hero in Korean shows usually has proper justification and some conscience. Why make a Korean movie that isn't even as convincing as similarly themed shows like Breaking Bad and Ozarks?

The stellar cast can't help much. Lee Byung Hun tries hard and does as good a job as possible. Son Ye Jin is watchable in all her scenes from the dance to the son's theft etc. A slew of famous actors from K drama make short appearances. The use of a classical music score doesn't help to elevate this movie.

Actually Park Chan Wook's last movie Decision to Leave also suffered from a weak story as well.

Too bad this high profile show isn't good. No wonder it didn't win at Venice.

Nature, technology, family, and integrity in a delightful and stylish visual treat.

In the current system, is anything goes in the pursuit of regaining conformity? Here, Chan-Wook, in a fantastic structure as fragmented as the human mind, doesn't lose track of the story or its style in the ideals he wishes to address.

The way he captures sadism in a romantic and humorous way is impressive, keeping the core of the story intact. It's so satisfying to see the balance between drama or terror and humor executed so well.

The absurdly rich plan used to show how far we are willing to go to not lose what is rightfully ours is touching, exposing the decadent roots of a society where you are defined by what you have and what you do.

The representation of the growing frustration of isolation and despair from unemployment in the face of society, mirrored in the tooth, was quite ingenious.

Everyone plays their part here, and Lee Byung-hun is an icon, but the star for me is Son Ye-jin. The film captures the perspective of a wife and a woman facing adversity-be it familial, internal, or financial-and weaves the tapestry of Man-Su and Miri's marriage with worthy detail, offering a beautiful parallel in Ara.

The emotional turmoil of a woman willing to make difficult decisions and offering unconditional, yet never blind, support, and her attitude, empathy, and humor are felt in every moment.

A beautiful story that reminds us of human and natural values. Sometimes, self-destruction doesn't offer rebirth.

Deeply inspired by the tradition of French classic thrillers, particularly Claude Chabrol, No Other Choice is a beautifully shot dark comedy that will please the fans of Parasite. This absurdist human drama unfolds within stunning woody interiors, enveloped in a lush, menacing forest-green palette. I loved the bold colour choices throughout the movie.

The film expertly immerses its characters in a menacing natural setting, evoking the ruthlessness of the animal kingdom. While the comedy outshines the crime intrigue, the story occasionally lacks momentum. Nevertheless, Park Chan-wook's inventive direction is absolutely incredible and beautiful.

No Other Choice dazzles as its director, supremely confident in his craft, weaves cinematic magic to tell the story of our time: What if we are really left with no choice, trapped in the cage we've built for ourselves?

What prevents the film from being a true masterpiece is the awkward blending of grit and humor. Attempts to deliver dark comedy at times come across as contrived and staged. Digressions from its dramatic core also weaken this social satire instead of giving it added layers.

Still, inventive visuals, committed performances, and slick editing make No Other Choice a rewarding and memorable watch.

All that glitters may not be gold, but this cinematic gem has enough sparkle to make it memorable.

Usually i find park's movie little stressful. And u know why i say this. But this movie has quite number of humours. Its not as stressful as i imagine it to be. Acting is great. Specially, lee byung hun. He is certainly not my fav actor but he is good. All the supporting actors and actresses are good and they should be becuz they are all succesful and famous in multiple kdramas or kmovies. I recomend this movie.

No Other Chance mixes suspense, desperation, and human vulnerability in a way only Korean cinema seems able to do. The setup is simple, but the tension builds with every scene, and the moral lines keep shifting, nobody is entirely good, nobody entirely bad.

I really liked the gritty atmosphere and the way the film never lets you breathe. The characters feel lived-in, and their choices; right or wrong come from a place of real human pressure. It's not a masterpiece, but it's gripping, tense, and surprisingly affecting.

I can't believe that after watching worthless movies for so long and feeling sad that no one makes good movies anymore, I'm finally seeing a movie this good and well-made. I can't believe I enjoyed every single moment of it. I'm a harsh critic, but this movie touched me so much that I practically couldn't move while watching it. I would say that the most powerful part of this film is its story, as well as its black comedy that both makes the audience laugh and makes them think. It is so well-made and everything is in its exact place that I can't find any particular fault with it, although it wasn't without its flaws. The pleasure of watching this film completely captivated me and reminded me once again that South Korean cinema is one of the best in all the countries. I suggest that if you want to see this movie, watch it when your mind is not too busy and you can pay close attention to the movie and its very interesting and memorable events. This movie will create funny, heartbreaking, sad, happy, and even scary moments for you.

Haven't seen the original or read the book or anything so I can't say how original this movie is but it feels to me very Korean, so I think it was adapted very well to Korean sensibilities. It has some decent subtle humour, at least I myself didn't find it roaringly funny, but I thought it was smart that way.

It takes a little to find its footing but I think I found that first part better than the rest cause it kept me guessing where and how it would go and at some point I thought maybe Park Chan-wook pulled one on me and these people are going to die on their own, which I found interesting. Also, I didn't watch any trailers so if any murder is on there I was oblivious. I rarely watch trailers these days unless I stumble upon them somehow. Anyway that first "case" was kind of crazy with the mad events with the wife. I didn't enjoy the others as much to be honest and I was beginning to feel the length.

I liked how it was shot and everything looks great and the houses are beautiful and the many scenes outdoors and all the plants and everything and the bright colours and the actors are gorgeous. Interesting couple as well. I just felt it was missing a little something after all, a little more oomph, I don't know what. It's a special movie but I didn't find it great and it could've been I think. I also found the ending ironic and very telling with the completely automated factory. And I was thinking just before that that he would have to watch his back now constantly cause there were others in line waiting to take his place. I would've seen that as a good ending as well.

"Le couperet" ("The Axe," Costa-Gavras, 2005) No.2.

A powerful film, worthy of Gavras's original, which the outstanding Park transposes to the present with remarkable mastery. It portrays job insecurity and the moral degradation of the middle class as it loses everything it had gained during the post-World War II Keynesian era. Gavras foresaw this as early as 2005; the 2008 financial crisis and what followed fully confirmed his vision. Through precise direction, sharp editing, and provocative black humor, Park adds a chilling dimension: the gradual dehumanization of labor.

Thatcher may be gone, but her ideology - that there is no alternative (T. I. N. A.) to late, destructive capitalism - still dominates, driving societies toward decay and the rise of profoundly antisocial forces, hauntingly reminiscent of the interwar period.

And we know where that led.

Watch both films - they are wonderful.

I'm not a fan of Chan-Wook Park. Nothing here changed my opinion. No Other Choice is excessive and exhaustive and more than a bit self-indulgent. But where Park's film's often use subtle satire and oppressive violence to hammer home their point again and again, this one bludgeons you with wink-wink details and a need to laugh at its deeply-flawed, self-obsessed characters. Still, No Other Choice can be fun, it's just too damn long, too damn ironic, and too damn cynical to be rewatchable. As with Decision To Leave, my patience for this exhaustive, overwrought structure is frustration, not because what's on screen isn't beautifully shot and expertly executed but because there simply is no editor to sort out the piles of pretentious distractions from what is otherwise a 90 minute farce.

They say that "Imitation is the highest form of flattery," and, arguably, that might be true - but only when the imitation works. When it doesn't, the result is more of a pale wannabe clone, and that's precisely the problem with this latest release from writer-director Park Chan-wook. This dark comedy essentially seeks to be this year's equivalent to the Oscar-winning South Korean offering "Parasite" ("Gisaengchung") (2019) from filmmaker Bong Joon-ho. But, try as it might, "No Other Choice" is no "Parasite" - not by a long shot. The edgy humor that made this film's predecessor successful was grounded in its skillful handling, knowing just how far to push the bounds of propriety and absurdity without going overboard while still being able to evoke nervous but genuinely earned laughs from viewers. This picture, however, tries way too hard to produce those chuckles, sometimes crossing the line of appropriateness and landing in territory that falls flat, becomes excessive and sometimes even verges on being of questionable taste. These results emerge from a storyline in which Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), a South Korean paper mill manager who genuinely believes he's attained all of the material, domestic and career satisfaction he could ever want, unexpectedly loses his job as a result of an American company buyout. Upset but undeterred, he vows to land a new job within a few months, but, much to his dismay, he's still out of work long thereafter. He and his family reluctantly begin economizing, but Man-su is dissatisfied with the direction in which his life is heading. He thus decides to try a different approach to winning a managerial job that's opened up at another paper company - by eliminating his competitors before they can be hired. On the surface, this deliciously wicked premise might seem like a viable plot for a sinister dark comedy, but that's not the issue here - rather, it's a question of (ahem) execution. To move the narrative forward, the picture relies on heavy-handed storytelling tactics that result in overwrought slapstick, dubious comedy bits (some of which aren't even laughing matters) or material that just flat-out bombs. In addition, the story is woefully bogged down by extraneous subplots involving erroneously suspected infidelity, youthful antisocial behavior and alcohol-induced lapses in sobriety (what's funny about any of that?). As a consequence, these ancillary story threads needlessly lengthen an already-overlong film, prompting viewers to want to yell at the screen to get on with it already. What's perhaps most puzzling, however, is the protagonist's single-mindedness about the need to land another job in paper manufacturing, regularly proclaiming that he has "no other choice." Why? It's an argument that's made repeatedly but never adequately explained, a plot device that, in turn, causes the film to become repetitive, making this production seem even longer than it actually is (I can't begin to say how often I looked at my watch while screening this one). These attributes also make me wonder how this release was able to earn two Critics Choice Award nominations, three Golden Globe Award nods, and accolades from numerous film festivals and critics' organizations, given that this is one of the biggest disappointments of this year's awards season. Indeed, I find it amusing that the protagonist routinely insists that he has no other choice about the options open to him, but, thankfully, we as viewers do have a choice when it comes to this film - by simply choosing to turn it off, a temptation I had to resist many times and almost wish I had.