A 40-something man, Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), works at a paper factory; his managerial job provides his family w/ a comfortable life. His wife, Miri (Son Ye-jin), is SAHM of two kids (a teen boy and young girl). All of the family members have hobbies/interests which enrich their lives. Their home is lovely and spacious- a blend of French country house (preferred by South Koreans in the ’70s/’80s) and brutalist architecture. Man-su has a large greenhouse and loves gardening. Abruptly, Man-su’s entire work team is downsized; he is forced to work random jobs for many mos. Desperate to get back his livelihood and pride, he forms a plan to beat the competition when a perfect job opens up!

During the 2019 Busan International Film Festival, director Park Chan-wook confirmed that he was adapting Donald Westlake’s 1997 horror novel, The Ax. At that time, Costa-Gavras held the rights (after adapting it in French in 2005); the Greek filmmaker assisted Park during development. No Other Choice was selected as South Korea’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Oscars. It was submitted to the 2025 Venice Film Fest and received critical acclaim. I went to a screening w/ the DC Movie Club at Alamo Drafthouse (Bryant St) this past Spring.

If you’re NOT facing job loss, I’m guessing you have fam or friends who’ve dealt w/ it (esp. in the past yr)! This film taps into many (IRL) concerns of the modern age: economic anxiety, loss of status (public/private), crisis of identity (incl. perceived diminishment of masculinity), and the rise of AI. Here we have a dark comedy w/ absurd (yet somewhat relatable) moments rooted in the intense desperation of Mansu (as well as other male characters in his position). We see how the genders respond to uncertainty; as one astute viewer pointed out: “None of the women say ‘no other choice.'” Check this movie out on Disney+/Hulu or HBOMAX. There are few (modern) directors who can surprise (jaded) audiences, make them think, as well as entertain w/ (unique) shots/ visuals!