Decision to Leave (2022)
Let Park Chan Wook cook!
Presentation:
Imagine a Kdrama on steroids - this is what Park Chan Wook does so well. Decision to Leave is a dark romance mystery thriller with a lot of good things going for it and a lot of bad. The cinematography in this film is eclectic and fun, a weird balance of quirkiness. I really enjoyed the playfulness of presentation, but it may end up feeling cheesy to some in the end. The editing jumps around a lot and the plot whizzes by. It’s especially difficult to keep up with the story reading subtitles flying by at 200 miles per hour. I wouldn’t say it’s confusing, Park just jams so much plot into one sentence and a lot of details become difficult to process. Once the mystery is formulated things get easier to follow but at the end of the day this is a surprise popcorn romance thriller. I didn’t really like the stars of the film, especially the Chinese actress, as they don’t really have much chemistry. But I may be biased because I wasn’t a fan of her in Lust, Caution either.
Analysis:
Park Chan Wook has entered into his absurdity phase of filmmaking, similar to Lanthimos. The main purpose of this film is to delve into the concept of cheating, the forbidden love and how two lovers manage their obsessions. Eventually it is revealed that the detective covers up for the woman out of love, which touches her deeply. After getting off the hook, the woman orchestrates a crime so the detective will be forced to reconnect with her. This is because she knows he is married and there is no way to approach him normally. Ultimately, he complies and investigates her, because as an officer that’s the closest they can get. A poetic romance, but not quite Romeo and Juliet.
Conclusion:
Park Chan Wook cooks so hard this could be considered an experimental art film. Regardless of the questionable plot, one cannot deny the unconventional style of the Korean director. It’ll be hard to ignore some glaringly ridiculous plot points, making it clear why this film is so comedic in tone. But if you view this film as a high concept love story, I think it improves. Not without flaws, I think this film gets better if you allow its poetic themes to marinate in the mind. But if you’re not a cinephile, this may be a confusing and potentially bad experience. Variety is the spice of life!
Recommendations
He-said-she-said: Korean border edition.