DECISION TO LEAVE

Korea, 2022, 138 minutes, Colour.

Park Hae-il, Tang Wei.

Directed by Park Chan-wook.

For over 20 years, writer-director, Park Hae-ill, has built up a very strong reputation in Korea and around the world, first with some violent dramas, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, Lady Vengeance, Oldboy, as well as moving internationally with Stoker and the miniseries from John Le Carre’s Little Drummer Girl. Now he has a detective investigation story, quieter, obsessive, a reminder of the themes of Hitchcock’s Vertigo.

The central character is a detective, absolutely dedicated to his work, an expert in stakeouts, especially because of his insomnia. His wife of 15 years understands him, is patient with him, but not always. He has a rather introverted, brooding personality.

The drama is based on his investigation of the death of a man who had climbed a mountain and fallen off. With his assistant, to get the feel of the event, he climbs the mountain face directly, to the apprehension of his assistant who is drawn up the mountain with him. In his investigation, he encounters the wife of the dead man, a Chinese national.

At first, there is no suspicion about the death, but the detective, again obsessively, follows her, stakeouts, actually stalking her, night and day. And the investigation gradually takes over his life, in reality, in his emotions, in his imagination. His wife is concerned. The fellow police group is also anxious.

The wife did not seem to be grieving her dead husband, even revealing that he was involved in financial fraud. Then she marries again, a charming businessman – to the surprise (and dismay) of the detective. Then a strange sequence is inserted, the wife relationship with a brutal businessman, married, the marriage threatened, concerned about his mother’s health. Then the news of the death of her husband.

The wife, again not seeming to grieve the death of this next husband, is revealed to be more mysterious, an ability to climb mountains, yet her being a carer in a nursing home, especially with a nice grandmother.

So, the investigation continues, the detective discovering how the wife might have covered herself and actually killed her husband (and is visualised), the disillusionment of the detective yet his continued obsession.

Winner of many international awards, reviewed with enthusiasm – but, some audiences might find themselves observing, interested but detached, rather than being caught up with the characters and the mystery.

1. The work of the director, his reputation over the decades? This film and its many awards?
2. Korean culture, characters, situations? Universal themes?
3. The focus on the detective, his age, personality, workaholic, good at stakeouts, his partners in the force, fellowship? His relationship with his wife? The many years of marriage? Her attitude towards his being out, the stakeouts?
4. The case of the man falling from the mountain? The detective climbing the mountain, his associate nervous, on the top, speculation as to what happened? Accident?
5. The detective meeting the dead man’s wife, her coming from China, speaking Korean, mysterious, exercising power over the Detective?
6. The speculation about husband and wife, her being a climber, documents and equipment, the speculation about her climbing, surprising her husband, pushing him over? Motivation?
7. The wife, her work as a carer, commendations from the management, the detective visiting the old lady, the wife visiting on Mondays, and as being a clue to undermining the wife’s alibi?
8. The continued investigation, the detective and the continued stakeouts, day and night, binoculars, the effect on him, obsession, leading to infatuation? The woman and her response to him?
9. Time passing, the closing of the case, yet the continued obsession? The detective and his wife?
10. The woman, her marrying again, the charming husband, his business background, the relationship between husband and wife?
11. The sudden scene of the wife with the brutal man, the affair, his violence? The death of the husband? The investigation, the motivation, the woman and her relationships, manipulating people, setting up the murder of her husband or not?
12. The effect on the detective, the continued meetings with the woman, the discussions, the erotic obsession, the impact of her kissing him? The third in the Buddhist temple?
13. The ultimate effect on the detective, skill at his job, wanting to keep the case open, not wanting to lose contact with the woman, insomnia, stalking, episodes in reality, in his imagination, in his desires?