Capitalism as comedy in 'No Other Choice'

The film's title, "No Other Choice," is uttered by various characters throughout its two-hour runtime.

- By JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA

The phrase is used by an American executive to justify layoffs following the acquisition of a South Korean paper company, where Lee Byung-hun's character works. In turn, he also uses it to motivate himself when he is about to murder for survival.

Showing in Philippine cinemas through CreaZion Studios, the film stars Lee as Man-soo, who is laid off from the company he has worked for 25 years. As the family’s breadwinner who managed to purchase his childhood home, he jumps from one job interview to another while working a dead-end job at a grocery store.

A year passes, and Man-soo’s severance pay is running dry. His wife, Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), decides to cut back on expenses, including selling their home, which was paid for through a mortgage.

Desperate to find employment, Man-soo devises a plan to kill his competition — two applicants who are more qualified than him, and a man currently holding his desired position — to increase his chances of getting hired at a rival paper company.

Unlike Lee’s “Squid Game” character, the Front Man, Man-soo is no mastermind when it comes to committing crimes. He often hesitates to pull the trigger, leaving behind a trail of half-baked attempts that rely on miracles to avoid getting caught.