Decision to Leave (Heojil Kyolshim) – South Korea – 2022 – Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Romance
Directed by: Park Chan-wook
Written by: Park Chan-wook; Chung Seo-kyung
Main Players: Tang Wei; Park Hae-il; Lee Jung-hyun; Go Kyung-pyo
Two “buddy” cops Jang (Park Hae-il) and Soo-won (Go Kyung-pyo) chat in between busting caps at the shooting range. Their topics are mostly murder cases, and how maybe the turn in weather to nicer as the reason for the recent lull in dead bodies. They focus on a particular and important case, and decide a team-up is in order to bring one of the suspects in.
As they do the usual interrogation and investigation there is limited initial progress so they return home to their respective lives, Jang to his wife (Lee Jung-hyun) and the younger Soo-won to his bachelor pad. Then… a body and another new case layered on top. The deceased male is found at the base of a cliff, and initial determinations are that he must have climbed a rope to the top, then fallen and unfortunately bounced all the way down.
The body wears a wedding ring and a broken watch, as well as expensive earphones. Our two cops are on it, and hit the scene to prove out the fall. Through innovative techniques, they begin their search for clues. As the deceased’s Chinese/Korean widow comes to identify the body, a dark multi-layered mystery begins, and Jang becomes enamored with the situation.
Decision to Leave is an expertly crafted, creatively shot, and smart mystery with a forbidden romance. The plot is enthralling and surprising, with a very interesting story with various elements at play to keep the viewer guessing.
The cultural characters are dynamic and well written, with multiple intriguing aspects and traits. The stars are great in their roles, which helps the overall story tension, and brief moments of comedy or romance. The story tension stays strong throughout, and the veteran director at the helm brings his usual A-game.
The ending will stay with you well after the credits hit. Are you of the mountains, or of the sea?
See This If You Liked:
Parasite (Gisaengchung); The Handmaiden (Ah-ga-ssi); Lady Vengeance (Chinjeolhan Geumjassi); Burning (Beoning); Joint Security Area (Gongdong Gyeongbi Guyeok JSA); Mother (Madeo); Memories of Murder (Salinui Chueok)
Score:
8.0