No Other Choice

Local title
Ainus valik
Original title
Eojjeolsugaeopda
Director
Park Chan-wook
Country
Republic of Korea
Year
2025
Programme
Screen International Critics' Choice
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Crime film
Subject
violence, individual vs society, satire

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
Music
Jo Yeong-wook
Runtime
Language
Korean
Subtitles
Estonian, English
Other festivals
Busan, London

Screenings

Saal Kino Sõprus
Screening011520 / Ainus valik
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Hall Electric Cinema, TARTU
Screening023019 / Ainus valik
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
2nd Hall Apollo Kino Solaris
Screening081221 / Ainus valik
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Trailer