Decision to Leave (2022) Movie Review
Decision to Leave is the latest film from South Korean director Park Chan-wook who is one of the most interesting and unique directors working right now. If you haven’t seen anything by him, please stop reading this and watch The Handmaiden (2016) immediately. Decision to Leave is a detective story but Chan-wook weaves funny moments, erotic moments, and psychologically thrilling moments together making it difficult to pin down exactly what kind of movie this is.
Detective Hae-joon (Park Hae-il) is called to the scene when a man is found dead at the foot of a mountain. Foul play isn’t immediately suspected until they talk to his wife, Seo-rae (Tang Wei) a Chinese immigrant. She doesn’t appear to be as grief stricken as one might think after hearing her husband has died and the police begin to suspect something is not quite right. Hae-joon is assigned to the case and after conducting an interview with Seo-rae he becomes, there’s no other word for it, obsessed. He begins conducting surveillance on her, watching her everyday routine through her open window. His desire is palpable, despite the fact that he’s married, and he’s torn between wanting to solve the case and wanting to prolong it so he can continue to be around her.
Although much of Hae-joon’s obsession is from afar, Chan-wook finds an interesting way to show their interactions by placing them in the same room even when they are apart. When Hae-joon calls her, Chan-wook films him in Seo-rae’s living room, pacing around as if they’re having the conversation in person. This effect is interesting and showcases their intense connection even if they’re not physically in the same space. Some of their interactions work better than others. A scene where the two wander around a Buddhist temple together talking feels odd and the connection seems somewhat less intense during those moments. The longing and the mystery are the intrigue here and the scene works against that idea.
But Chan-wook is clever and midway through the movie throws in a twist that not many will see coming. It feels a little too long, dragging a bit in the middle and second half of the movie. But there are plenty of hilarious moments especially involving Hae-joon’s partners who are bumbling fools. One chase scene is particularly memorable as the criminal flees the scene and Hae-joon and his partner take off after him The criminal takes perhaps the hilliest route imaginable with several flights of stairs. His partner lies down on the steps, gasping for air, and proclaims he can’t run anymore. These types of funny moments are sprinkled throughout the movie and add a charm and whimsy that balances the more serious moments of the murder investigation.
The neo-noir is beautifully shot and teems with a slight eroticism of what might happen between the insomniac detective and the elusive Chinese immigrant. You’ll watch with bated breath as scenes slowly unfold and the two orbit around each other without ever colliding. Decision to Leave is a departure from Chan-wook’s norm, but he proves he can provide a titillating, intense, and charming thriller that will keep you invested.
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like Chan-wook as a director
2. You enjoy neo-noir detective stories
3. You’re intrigued by the psychological effects of desire
