In the modern job market, it can be easy to feel hopeless or defeated. “No Other Choice” examines this feeling through a dark-comic lens, tackling the dehumanization many face at the hands of modern capitalism.
Based on the book “The Ax” by Donald E. Westlake, “No Other Choice” follows family man Yoo Man-soo in the aftermath of being laid off. Director Park Chan-Wook is known for his visually stunning films that tackle dark and violent themes, and “No Other Choice” is no different.
Losing his job after having worked at the same paper company for 25 years comes as a shock to Yoo. He promises his family he will find a new job within three months, but when he is unable to do so, the family has to give up many of their life's luxuries. Even having to sell their house, which is also Yoo’s childhood home.
At this point in the film, a tonal shift occurs as Yoo starts plotting how to murder competitors for a job at a different paper company he interviewed for, reminding himself he has “no other choice.”
Lee Byung-hun steals the show as Yoo, somehow creating a character that is both sympathetic and an objectively ruthless person. Lee’s performance truly carries the story as a whole, as he establishes his character as a loving husband and father in the beginning of the film, and later shifts to a calculated killer while still retaining the family-oriented attitude necessary to make his character relatable.
All performances by other actors in the film are also strong, with the rest of Yoo’s family being very sympathetic characters as they face the struggles associated with job loss. Son Ye-jin’s performance as Yoo Mi-ri (Yoo Man-soo’s wife) is particularly interesting, as she continues to support Yoo Man-soo even after learning that he is assassinating his competitors. This unexpected reaction makes for an even more interesting family dynamic, and Son’s performance of such a character greatly adds to the complexity of the film.
Apart from the strong acting performances, “No Other Choice” is also visually extraordinary. There are often interesting transitions between scenes, with elements of one scene fading into the previous scene. An additional strong visual choice is that the dark moments of the film are often quite comical, such as Yoo Man-soo’s first murder attempt, in which he is bitten by a snake and tumbles down a hill in a slapstick fashion. Comedic elements such as these highlight the ridiculousness of the situation, calling attention to the faults of the capitalist rat race that Yoo Man-soo and his competitors face.
One of the film’s most chilling moments is when it becomes evident that Yoo Man-soo, despite the struggle he faced to secure a job, is not opposed to contributing to the capitalist society, as long as it benefits him. This is clear in the final moments of the film, as he is hired at a paper company as the overseer of an AI-based workplace, which eliminates many jobs previously performed by people. Showing numerous people who will now be in similar situations to Yoo Man-soo’s, who will now be out of a job.
This cold-hearted attitude of Yoo Man-soo at the end of the film, along with his wife’s willingness to support his killings, highlights the effects that the nature of the capitalist job market can have on people, no matter how well-intentioned or good-hearted they may have started.
Overall, “No Other Choice” is a deeply engaging, relatable and chilling film and certainly has the potential to become a modern classic.
Rating: 5/5
