Rent Decision to Leave (2022)
3.4 of 5 from 313 ratings
2h 13min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- What happens when an object of suspicion becomes a case of obsession? When detective Hae-joon (Park Hae-il) arrives on the murder scene, he begins to suspect the dead man's wife Seo-rae (Tang Wei) may know more than she initially lets on. But as he digs deeper into the investigation, Hae-joon finds himself trapped in a web of deception and desire, proving that the darkest mysteries lurk inside the human heart.
- Actors:
- Hae-Il Park, Wei Tang, Jung-hyun Lee, Kyung-pyo Go, Shin-Young Kim, Jung Young Sook, Seung-mok Yoo, Teo Yoo, Jung-min Park, Seo Hyun-woo, Ha-dam Jeong, Hak-joo Lee, Yong-woo Park, Jeong Esuz
- Directors:
- Chan-wook Park
- Producers:
- Park Chan-Wook, KO Dae-seok
- Writers:
- Chan-wook Park, Chung Seo-kyung
- Aka:
- Heojil kyolshim
- Studio:
- Mubi
- Genres:
- Drama, Romance, Thrillers
- Collections:
- Award Winners, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2023
- Countries:
- Korea
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 09/01/2023
- Run Time:
- 139 minutes
- Languages:
- English Audio Description, Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English, English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.39:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Introduction with Park Hae-Il and Tang Wei
- NYFF Talks: Park Chan-Wook
- Interview with Director Park Chan-Wook
- "Moments of Decision to Leave" Behind the Scenes Featurette
- Behind the Scenes in Cannes
- VFX Reel
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 23/10/2023
- Run Time:
- 139 minutes
- Languages:
- English Audio Description, Korean Dolby Atmos, Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Mandarin Dolby Atmos, Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English, English Hard of Hearing
- DVD Regions:
- Region 0 (All)
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.39:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Park Chan-Wook and Bong Joon Ho Q&A
- NYFF Talks: Park Chan-Wook
- Interview with Director Park Chan-Wook
- "Moments of Decision to Leave" Behind the Scenes Featurette
- Behind the Scenes in Cannes
- VFX Reel
More like Decision to Leave
Reviews (5) of Decision to Leave
Police detective falls in love with Chinese-Korean femme fatale - Decision to Leave review by Philip in Paradiso
This is a somewhat strange and enigmatic film. I think it is partly due to the cultural factor: it is a South Korean film, with subtitles. There is quite a bit of humour here and there, even though the film mostly is a kind of romantic thriller, or a Korean neo-noir, if you like. But the humour appears based on puns and language-related confusions, at times, and the sub-titles are clearly struggling to render the plays on words. This is a significant aspect of the story, as the lead female character (the femme fatale) is Chinese-born, and claims to have problems expressing herself in Korean.
Having said all this, it is a good and interesting film, even though I do not feel it is the masterpiece some have claimed, and I have seen other South Korean romantic thrillers of this kind that were far more compelling. The storyline is centred on the married police detective: while investigating the Chinese-born woman, who is suspected of having murdered her husband, he falls in love with her and becomes obsessed with her. The rest follows. His fascination is partly personal (he is besotted with her), and partly professional (he wants to establish whether she is guilty or not) - the two presenting a difficult contradiction he has to manage.
Ostensibly, the film is about the relationship between the 2 of them, and about her. However, I found it is mostly about him and his situation, and his obsession with her. She remains a little bit of a blank page. Her motivations, more particularly, for doing what she does or is accused of having done, are never really clear. I also found the chemistry between the 2 of them unconvincing. More particularly, despite being supposed to be your average tough cop, he does not look charismatic at all to me; on the contrary, he is a bit dull in many ways. So, there is that unconvincing core at the centre of the story, and I found it difficult to truly feel involved, but this may also be due to the cultural differences I have referred to, above.
I still recommend the film: it is an intelligent and interesting film, albeit overlong.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Completely baffling - Decision to Leave review by RD
I couldn't make out the plot or story to this film, despite watching until very near to the end. There were a lot of flashbacks and scenes of past/ present shown at the same time which didn't help, but despite some good cinematography the whole film left us completely bewildered, which prevented any involvement with the characters.
Sorry go say it was quite beyond our meagre brains to understand what it was all about.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Excellent - Decision to Leave review by PJ
Difficult to describe, but there is lots of 5 star press reviews on this, involving, intoxicating, beautifully shot. Found the second half a little difficult to follow at times but overall a brilliant Beautiful film with a great performance from Tang Wei. If you like Park Chang wook films it's a must see
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Critic review
Decision to Leave (aka Heojil kyolshim) review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso
Park Chan-wook continues to deliver some of the best films out there that are as enthralling to follow as they are dazzling to watch. It’d be easy for this crime thriller to feel far too standard with its tale of forbidden love and dark desires amid murder and investigations. And yet Chan-wook manages to craft this type of film like no other director, loading it up with unforgettable performances and eye-popping visuals.
Hae-Jun is a detective working in Busan while his wife resides in Ipo. He only visits his wife a few times a week and can’t sleep. Many cases continue to haunt him as he devotes a more profound devotion to solving murders. His latest one happens to involve a husband falling off a cliff. The victim’s wife, Seo-Rae, becomes a prime suspect as a Chinese immigrant and has a questionable alibi amid her interviews. The investigation ultimately leads to writing off the victim who had killed himself. However, Hae-Jun takes more interest in Seo-Rae, forming a romantic bond. The relationship benefits Hae-Jun, given that his insomnia seems cured by her gentle voice and touch. But is Seo-Rae just using Hae-Jun for her benefit of covering up the case?
Visually, this film is fantastic. There’s exceptional quality placed in how every shot is staged. The reflection perfectly punctuates the interrogation in the mirrors and TV monitors that brilliantly switches focus to change the shape of the conversation. Scenes transition almost like hazy dreams, wonderfully showcasing how Hae-Jun seems never to be able to sleep and exists entirely within a dream he’s trying to decipher. There are so many long shots that showcase the vast emptiness that Hae-Jun occupies. His phone calls with Seo-Rae are portrayed as him being right there in the room with her, highlighting how close he grows to her.
The investigation that unfolds is incredibly intriguing, for the many layers peeled back as it progresses. Seo-Rae becomes quite the enigma for her immigration status, relationship with her mother, questionable work in caring for old people, and how she navigates Korean society. Her gaps make her a compelling case for Hae-Jun as he contemplates his marriage and mental state. There are daring chases, showdowns, stakeouts, and office exchanges that are exceptionally staged. I particularly dug a rooftop chase sequence placed over narration of further divulging the case at hand.
The tragic romance that develops also becomes a high point of the film. The relationship between Hae-Jun and Seo-Rae feels somber and built on a specific need beyond just a sleep aid and a clear name. Seo-Rae grows increasingly desperate, where murders become a cry for help and feelings of love are hard to fight off in the mundanity of police work and abusive relationships. The final shots are some of the most tragic for the ultimate fate of the cop and his lover, torn in their relationship.
Decision to Leave is an unforgettable detective drama that touches deep down into the longing for more like no other film. It’s also a stunning picture of how Park Chan-wook creates a dreamy world of deep sadness amid provocative imagery and shots perfectly fitted for this thriller. Far more than just eroticism, this is a stunning Korean thriller that is easily one of the best neo-noirs of the 2020s.