No Other Choice

Local title
Ainus valik
Original title
Eojjeolsugaeopda
Director
Park Chan-wook
Year
2025
Festival
29th Black Nights Film Festival
Programme
Genre
Subject

A wildly enjoyable picture that balances psychological tension against giddily hilarious comic set pieces.

Criminals in the films of Park Chan-wook tend to be brilliant, devious, Machiavellian creatures, adept at the long game and staying several moves ahead of those who would bring them to justice. Not so Man-su (“Squid Game’s” Lee Byung-hun), the endearingly klutzy protagonist of “No Other Choice”. A former paper mill middle manager whose job is abruptly terminated, Man-su turns to desperate and increasingly deadly measures to secure reemployment in a shrinking job market. He is, it becomes clear, supremely ill-suited to a rampage of violence.

But while the crime spree may be inept, Park’s filmmaking is as elegant as ever, in a wildly enjoyable picture that balances psychological tension against giddily hilarious comic set pieces.

Wendy Ide, Screen Daily

Director
Park Chan-wook
Screenwriter
Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar, Lee Ja-hye
Cast
Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, Yoo Yeon-seok
Producer
Park Chan-wook
Cinematographer
Kim Woo-hyung
Production Design
Ryu Seong-hie
Editing
Kim Sang-bum
Music
Jo Yeong-wook
Production
CJ Entertainment, Moho Film
Distribution
Adastra Cinema OÜ
Runtime
Language
Subtitles
Other festivals
Busan, London
Director
Park Chan-wook

Filmography:
(Valik/Selected): Boksuneun naui geot (Kaastunne ja kättemaks, PÖFF 2002), Oldeuboi (2003, Vana poiss, PÖFF 2004), Saiboguijiman kwenchana (Ma olen küborg, kuid see on OK, PÖFF 2007), Bakjwi (Janu, PÖFF 2009), Stoker (2013), Ah-ga-ssi (Handmaiden, 2016), Heojil kyolshim (Otsus lahkuda, PÖFF 2022), Eojjeolsuga eobsda (No Other Choice, 2025)

Screenings

Screening011520 / Ainus valik
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Screening023019 / Ainus valik
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Screening081221 / Ainus valik
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Trailer