DECISION TO LEAVE
****
Director: Park Chan-Wook
Screenplay: Park Chan-Wook and Chung Seo-Kyung
Principal cast:
Tang Wei
Park Hae-Il
Lee Jung-Hyun
Park Yong-Woo
Go Kyung-Pyo
Kim Shin-Young
Country: South Korea
Classification: M
Runtime: 138 mins.
Australian release date: 20 October 2022.
In Decision to Leave, acclaimed director Park Chan-Wook’s first feature since 2015, the Korean filmmaker has eschewed the violence and sex of earlier movies like Old Boy, Lady Vengeance and The Handmaiden, and opted for an altogether more understated scenario. He has stated that his “… goal in Decision to Leave was to create a film that subtly and imperceptibly pulls the audience in and captures their interest,” and it does just that. It’s a mystery but, rather than a straight whodunnit, the mystery here comes from trying to decipher the motivations and emotions of its two protagonists: a buttoned-down cop and a beautiful murder suspect. Park, who also wrote the screenplay, says that, “It’s a love story, and also a detective drama. But what I really want to emphasise is that it’s a story about loss, that any adults will be able to relate to. Rather than treat it as a solid tragedy, I tried to express it with subtlety, elegance and humour.”
Inspector Hae-Joon (Park Hae-Il) is a fastidious detective who takes notes on his wristwatch smart phone and wears specially made suits with multiple pockets, so he’s prepared for any eventuality. When he’s assigned to the case of a 60-year-old man who apparently slipped (or was it suicide?) and fell to his death while rock-climbing, his suspicions are aroused by the cold-hearted reaction to the news by the man’s much younger wife, Seo-rae (Tang Wei). When she promptly goes back to her job caring for elderly housebound patients, he decides that there could be more to the tragedy than meets the eye, so he stakes out Seo-rae’s home and an odd relationship begins when she spies him spying on her. As they spend more time together, both parties keep their emotional cards close to their chests and it’s never quite clear whether they are toying with each other or their feelings are genuine. Hae-Joon can’t keep dragging the case out ad infinitum though, regardless of how he feels, and he is going to have to come to a decision about Seo-rae’s guilt or innocence.
Park Chan-Wook won the Best Director prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for Decision to Leave, plus it’s been nominated for a swag of other awards. It’s no surprise, given how he has created such a unique atmosphere with his film. To that end, he’s been assisted by Director of Photography Kim Ji-yong, whose unusual cinematographic choices have added nuance to the off-kilter romance portrayed in the plot. There are many shots that are technically unconventional and lots of images are reflected or refracted through screens and windows, enhancing the sense of strangeness. Production Designer Ryu Seong-hie, who also worked on The Handmaiden, is an important player in the overall ambience of the work, too. There are many subtle details hidden in it that go some way to revealing the characters’ emotions. The two leads are exceptional, pitch-perfect in their delivery and keeping us guessing until the final frames. If you are itching to see a film for adults, made by a consummate director, the Decision to Leave is for you. Make the decision to go.
Screenplay: Park Chan-Wook and Chung Seo-Kyung
Principal cast:
Tang Wei
Park Hae-Il
Lee Jung-Hyun
Park Yong-Woo
Go Kyung-Pyo
Kim Shin-Young
Country: South Korea
Classification: M
Runtime: 138 mins.
Australian release date: 20 October 2022.
In Decision to Leave, acclaimed director Park Chan-Wook’s first feature since 2015, the Korean filmmaker has eschewed the violence and sex of earlier movies like Old Boy, Lady Vengeance and The Handmaiden, and opted for an altogether more understated scenario. He has stated that his “… goal in Decision to Leave was to create a film that subtly and imperceptibly pulls the audience in and captures their interest,” and it does just that. It’s a mystery but, rather than a straight whodunnit, the mystery here comes from trying to decipher the motivations and emotions of its two protagonists: a buttoned-down cop and a beautiful murder suspect. Park, who also wrote the screenplay, says that, “It’s a love story, and also a detective drama. But what I really want to emphasise is that it’s a story about loss, that any adults will be able to relate to. Rather than treat it as a solid tragedy, I tried to express it with subtlety, elegance and humour.”
Inspector Hae-Joon (Park Hae-Il) is a fastidious detective who takes notes on his wristwatch smart phone and wears specially made suits with multiple pockets, so he’s prepared for any eventuality. When he’s assigned to the case of a 60-year-old man who apparently slipped (or was it suicide?) and fell to his death while rock-climbing, his suspicions are aroused by the cold-hearted reaction to the news by the man’s much younger wife, Seo-rae (Tang Wei). When she promptly goes back to her job caring for elderly housebound patients, he decides that there could be more to the tragedy than meets the eye, so he stakes out Seo-rae’s home and an odd relationship begins when she spies him spying on her. As they spend more time together, both parties keep their emotional cards close to their chests and it’s never quite clear whether they are toying with each other or their feelings are genuine. Hae-Joon can’t keep dragging the case out ad infinitum though, regardless of how he feels, and he is going to have to come to a decision about Seo-rae’s guilt or innocence.
Park Chan-Wook won the Best Director prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for Decision to Leave, plus it’s been nominated for a swag of other awards. It’s no surprise, given how he has created such a unique atmosphere with his film. To that end, he’s been assisted by Director of Photography Kim Ji-yong, whose unusual cinematographic choices have added nuance to the off-kilter romance portrayed in the plot. There are many shots that are technically unconventional and lots of images are reflected or refracted through screens and windows, enhancing the sense of strangeness. Production Designer Ryu Seong-hie, who also worked on The Handmaiden, is an important player in the overall ambience of the work, too. There are many subtle details hidden in it that go some way to revealing the characters’ emotions. The two leads are exceptional, pitch-perfect in their delivery and keeping us guessing until the final frames. If you are itching to see a film for adults, made by a consummate director, the Decision to Leave is for you. Make the decision to go.