Decision to Leave (2022)
90%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: NA
If Decision to Leave isn’t quite on the same level as Park Chan-wook’s masterpieces, this romantic thriller is still a remarkable achievement by any other metric.
So, I just watched Decision to Leave and let me tell you, it’s not quite as mind-blowing as Park Chan-wook’s other flicks, but it’s still pretty darn impressive. This romantic thriller had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what the heck was going to happen next. I mean, sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth a watch. If you’re into heart-pumping suspense and a little bit of romance, this movie is right up your alley. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready for a wild ride.
Production Company(ies)
CJ ENM, CJ Entertainment, Foreign Language
Distributor
MUBI
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Busan, Korea (South)
MPAA / Certificate
NR
Year of Release
2022
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, Dolby
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 18m
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Language(s):Korean, Chinese
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Country of origin:Korea (South)
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 14, 2022 Limited
Genre(s)
Mystery & thriller/Crime
Keyword(s)
Mystery, thriller, crime, drama, romance, Korean, Park Chan-wook, Wei Tang, Park Hae-il, Lee Jung-hyun, Go Kyung-pyo, Park Yong-woo, Jeong Seo-kyeong, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, MUBI, limited release, $1.9M box office, reviewed by Radheyan Simonpillai, Michael Phillips, Adam Graham, Kevin Maher, Bill Goodykoontz, Maxwell Rabb, Elaine Cho, Dustin Chang, Mattie Lucas, Al Alexander, Carey-Ann Pawsey, Rachel Wagner, 94% Tomatometer, 88% audience score, produced by Park Chan-wook, directed by Park Chan-wook, written by Park Chan-wook and Jeong Seo-kyeong, MPAA rating, deception, desire, murder mystery, flashbacks, technology, obsession, lies, romantic tension, South Korea, Best International Feature Film, Oscar nomination
Worldwide gross: $22,769,351
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $21,870,111
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,672
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,384,963
US/Canada gross: $2,179,864
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,994,838
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,025
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Park Hae-il – Hae-joon
Lee Jung-hyun – Jung-an
Go Kyung-pyo – Soo-wan
Park Yong-woo – Unknown
Park Chan-wook – Director, Producer, Writer
Director(s)
Park Chan-wook
Writer(s)
Park Chan-wook, , Jeong Seo-kyeong
Producer(s)
Park Chan-wook
Film Festivals
Cannes, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (188) | Top Critics (47) | Fresh (177) | Rotten (11)
Possibly the sexiest movie of the year and certainly one of the best.
November 4, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Radheyan Simonpillai
CTV’s Your Morning
TOP CRITIC
Park’s willingness to court a lot of momentary confusion about who’s who and what’s what will be a little much for some. I feel this way: When the filmmaking and the acting’s on this level, Park can zag around all he wants.
October 29, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
One of the smartest, most satisfying murder mysteries in years.
October 27, 2022 | Rating: A-
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
The narrative is structurally audacious, and regularly deploys flashbacks and clever cuts, and scenes within scenes. It’s also the most melancholic film of Park’s career…
October 26, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
An uncomfortable, challenging joy.
October 26, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Bill Goodykoontz
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
Decision to Leave is a subtle masterpiece from Park Chan-wook, braiding a heart-stirring tenderness into a murderous thriller.
October 25, 2022
Maxwell Rabb
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Decision to Leave deftly uses a Korean-Chinese language barrier to heighten the romantic tension between the leads.
December 2, 2022 | Rating: A
Elaine Cho
Mediaversity Reviews
In Park’s hand, our mundane everyday technology – smartphone, smartwatch, Bluetooth, etc., becomes something sensual, ASMR and highly hypnotic.
November 29, 2022
Dustin Chang
Floating World
Come for the mystery, but stay for Park’s dazzlingly delirious web of obsession and lies that paints a haunting portrait of a policeman’s singular, self-destructive focus on something unsolvable ultimately has nothing to do with the crime.
November 22, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
A neo-noir love story so dizzying you’d swear you’re experiencing “Vertigo.”
November 15, 2022 | Rating: B+
Al Alexander
The Patriot Ledger
It has been named South Korea’s entry into the Best International Feature Film category. Hoping to earn that country another Oscar nomination. Even if that does not work out you can be assured that it is a fantastic film.
November 13, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Carey-Ann Pawsey
Orca Sound
One of the most impeccably made movies I’ve seen in 2022. And it’s one I think on a second and third watch I could easily go from liking to loving
November 13, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
Rachel Wagner
rachelsreviews.net…
Plot
From a mountain peak in South Korea, a man plummets to his death. Did he jump, or was he pushed? When detective Hae-joon arrives on the scene, he begins to suspect the dead man’s wife Seo-rae. But as he digs deeper into the investigation, he finds himself trapped in a web of deception and desire.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Park Hae-il plays the role of detective Hae-joon in Decision to Leave.
Park-Chan-wook.jpg
