Monday 14 November
10am, 6:30pm
Director Park Chan-wook
Romantic Mystery
Korea
Korean (English Subtitles)
138 min
After lamenting the lack of interesting cases in Busan, scrupulous detective Hae-joon lands a whale – a possible homicide – when he’s enlisted to investigate the death of a man whose body is found at the bottom of a cliff. The prime suspect is the man’s beautiful Chinese wife, Seo-rae, who is suspiciously unmoved by the events that have left her widowed. Wrapped in the investigation of the unusual death, Hae-joon’s interest in the woman soon transcends the professional as he becomes enamoured with the main suspect.
With a razor-sharp understanding of the genre, director Park Chan-wook masterfully interrogates its conventions with his trademark artistry – a gripping thriller mystery layered with themes of conflict between desire and morality, cementing it as one of the must-see films of the year.
With its clever script and engaging performances and twists, Decision to Leave cements its place as an international feature contender at next year’s Academy Awards and one of the most engaging films to come out of this year’s New York Film Festival. – David Gonzalez, Reel Talk Inc.
Luscious… Crafted with unforced humour, ravishing visuals and commanding maturity, Decision to Leave intoxicates with its potent brew of love, emotional manipulation – or is it? – and obsession. – Hollywood Reporter