I’ve just rounded up the top new movies streaming this week, but I had such a good time when I saw one of the week’s new arrivals in theaters that I couldn’t not talk about it in a little more detail here. The movie in question? “No Other Choice,” the latest black comedy/thriller from South Korean director Park Chan-wook.
As of today (Tuesday, Feb. 17), this captivating, must-watch movie is now available to buy or rent via Premium Video-on-Demand (PVOD) services like Prime Video, and that’s given me the perfect excuse to shout about it.
I’m still livid that “No Other Choice” got entirely overlooked in this year’s Oscar nominations, as it’s got to be one of the best films I’ve seen in recent memory. It’s a twisting takedown of capitalism and the toll it takes on our everyday lives, told via one man’s desperate hunt for his next job, and I cannot recommend it enough — you can find out why below.
What is ‘No Other Choice’ about?
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“No Other Choice” introduces us to a hard-working, middle-class family man, Yoo Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), who leads a nice life with his loving family in a gorgeous home — until his world is turned upside down by unemployment.
After spending decades as a loyal employee of a paper company, he’s abruptly laid off amid a corporate takeover. While struggling to make his next career move, he hatches a desperate plan to land the perfect gig: find and eliminate his top competition.
In addition to the “Squid Game” star, “No Other Choice” also features Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeon Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, and Yoo Yeon-seok.
Why you should stream ‘No Other Choice’
Unless you are completely incapable of sitting through a movie with subtitles, I can’t fathom why you wouldn’t be able to enjoy “No Other Choice.” It oscillates wildly from slapstick comedy to sinister, dark shocks, but it navigates that wild, varied tone so cleverly that things never feel out of place, and it’s all anchored by a brilliant turn from Lee Byung-hun.
It’s a tightly-wound, morally murky, and completely unpredictable thriller that had me glued to my seat, and genuinely surprised me by being not only a gripping tale, but also a frequently hilarious one at that; some of its silliest moments genuinely had me clutching my sides in the cinema.
If you’re only planning to watch one new movie this week, I’d urge you to consider renting or buying “Not Other Choice” right now — I’m more than confident you’ll have a great time.
This isn’t just a “trust me” situation, either: “No Other Choice” comes highly recommended from critics and fellow moviegoers alike. At the time of writing, it’s still sitting at 97% from critics and 93% from fans on Rotten Tomatoes.
Here’s the critics’ consensus: “Directed with pristine precision by Park Chan-wook, ‘No Other Choice’ is a wickedly clever takedown of the corporate rat race that finds a perfect avatar in Lee Byung-hun’s skilfully hapless performance.”
Empire’s Jake Cunningham gave the movie a perfect 5-star score, writing: “Cut it, print it. These are brutal executions, brilliantly executed. Director Park has said he wants “No Other Choice” to be his “masterpiece,” and he may well have done it. Hopefully, he won’t be jobless any time soon.”
Another perfect score came from Brian Tallerico at RogerEbert.com, who labelled “No Other Choice” “wickedly entertaining,” adding: “It’s so easy to see all of the places where this unique gem could have gone wrong, and so satisfying to see it only make good choices from beginning to end.”
There are plenty more glowing reviews out there, too, and in conclusion, all I’ll add is that I cannot recommend streaming “No Other Choice” more; it’s another excellent film from the director of “The Handmaiden,” “Oldboy” and “Decision to Leave,” and almost certainly the best new release you can stream at home this week.
Buy/Rent “No Other Choice” at Prime Video now
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