No Other Choice

“Thank you for your interest in this role. Unfortunately, this position has now been filled.”

In recent years, the hiring process has become quite automated. From the increased use of AI to screen resumes to the popularity of Hirevue (where candidates record interview responses to a blank screen) to the apathy applicants often receive despite their time investment, the artificiality of the process jobseekers have to endure repeatedly to secure employment has never been more pronounced. It is fascinating, then, that No Other Choice refuses to take the humanity out of this wickedly fun and furious tale. A recently fired manager of a paper company, Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) decides that in order to ensure his family can continue to afford the lifestyle he painstakingly worked 25 years for, he must kill the top candidates for  his dream job. Yet, as deliciously enjoyable as this film can be, it never takes the easy way out when it comes to its characters. Man-su is as compelling as he is because of how difficult it is to root for him. And because the script insists on empathizing with his competition instead of reveling in the spectacle, you are forced to think more deeply about the circumstances that have placed each character in this tragicomedy. Even if the job market finds new ways to take humans out of the equation, this film always puts the people at the forefront of the story, making for an experience that leaves you conflicted with your own enjoyment. 

What was immediately striking about this film is how urgent the stakes feel despite the lack of emergency around them. Man-su needs the manager position not to survive, but to regain fulfillment and maintain the way of life that his family is accustomed to. He feels as though he has no other choice, not because he cannot gain employment anywhere, but because he cannot gain meaningful employment anywhere. But as cartoonish as Lee Byung-hun plays Man-su at times, his struggle to reclaim the role of the dependable husband, the provider of the household, and the leader at work resonates. Lee is in top form here, ricocheting between hilarious, desperate, and even terrifying without breaking a sweat. The tone of No Other Choice is delightfully all over the place, and he matches the film’s energy at every turn. Though we are kept at arm’s length from Man-su at times, we are always captivated by his increasingly terrible decisions because of how much control Lee has over his every mannerism and facial expression. He is nothing short of phenomenal in this role, and stands out greatly in this unexpectedly brilliant ensemble. 

The film’s more farcical elements are balanced out wonderfully by the grounded performances from the rest of the cast. Son Ye-jin is quietly heartbreaking after her lackadaisical life is uprooted by her husband’s firing. She expertly juxtaposes the brave face she puts on for her family with the exhaustion and worry her new financial situation has thrust upon her, and the film’s commentary on male bravado hits that much harder as a result. Yeom Hye-ran is hilarious and, without giving too much away, steals the film’s best scene like it’s nothing. Cha Seung-won has a small role, but he places the film in the real world more than any other actor and devastates you in his limited screen-time. But overall, this is an ensemble that is stacked from top to bottom. Each actor brings a unique energy to their role that ties this roller coaster of a film together.

However, No Other Choice could not exist without Park Chan-wook. His direction is on another level, with his transitions alone ensuring this is a one-of-a-kind experience. This film’s beauty is often overstimulating at points, which makes the film’s bleakest moments stand out that much more. Park also crafts sequences that may have been simple on paper but are imbued with so much stylistic finesse that it is impossible to not stare at them in awe. These scenes are complemented wonderfully by Eunjung Kim and Kim Suk-won’s immaculate sound work, which completely transforms certain scenes. Park’s work on No Other Choice is so incredibly dense that I am certain a rewatch will prove rewarding. 

The film does lose some steam in the second half, as it clearly peaks after a certain confrontation that had the entire theater in stitches. No Other Choice spirals alongside Man-su, and though the direction remains as sharp as ever, the screenplay does not pack quite as many punches. Believability is constantly stretched during this satire, but the back half’s more subdued tone makes this a bit of an issue. Yet, if the film slightly lost me near the end, it pulled me back in with its jaw-dropping conclusion. It is not an unexpected ending, but the film’s focus on the humanity of those who are out of work makes the closing shot hit all that much harder. 

Ultimately, Park Chan-wook has pulled out all the stops for his most human story yet. In this terrifying present where companies often take their current employees and potential hires out of the equation, viewing them as the value they contribute rather than as people, this deranged satire is oddly comforting in its insistence that humanity not be discounted. There is beauty in the individual experiences we have and the passions we have cultivated. The misaligned violence Man-su carries out only further proves how precious and unique human life is, and how terrifying it is that firms are increasingly distancing themselves from it. No Other Choice is one of the most relevant films of the year and stands out as one of the best. 

9/10