No Other Choice (2025)

Park Chan-wook blends comedy, thrills and Hitchockian elegance in a film that dissects modern work culture to uproarious, tragic effect.

When Yoo (Squid Game’s Lee Byung-hun) is laid off after 20 years, he’s left scrambling to find a new job lest his perfect life slip from his grasp. Luckily, a position has opened at a rival firm, and in his desperation, he develops a plan to kill off his competition.

Park (The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave) meticulously guides us through Yoo’s harebrained scheme with richly coloured photography, finely tuned comedy and stylistic aplomb that would make Brian De Palma blush – the transitions alone glimmer with wit and style.

Beneath the cinematic swagger, however, is an empathetic story about crises of masculinity, class and middle age. This is a sharp satire wrapped in an immaculate bow by one of the world’s most skilled filmmakers. George Earwicker

South Korea, 2025. Director Park Chan-wook. Screenplay by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar and Lee Ja-hye from the 1997 novel The Ax by Donald Westlake. With Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon. 139 mins. 15

Introduced by George Earwicker.

Screening sponsored by The Earwicker Family.

Screening at BAC
£8.50/7.50/£6
25-and-under £3
10% off for BAC supporters.

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