Park Chan-wook's film 'No Other Choice' explores the theme of resistance to personal change. The narrative introduces Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), a loyal paper factory employee for 25 years who faces termination. Despite his wife, Miri (Son Ye-jin), demonstrating adaptability in managing the family's finances, Man-su struggles to secure new employment within his preferred industry following a series of interviews.
Threatened by foreclosure, Man-su resorts to extreme measures, targeting other candidates (Lee Sung-min, Cha Seung-won) for a job at a different paper factory, and potentially the future supervisor (Park Hee-soon) for the position.
The film is noted as a satire on corporate culture, with a primary focus on the interpersonal aspect of the male ego's resistance to change. Female characters within the film, including Miri and Yeom Hye-ran's character, encourage their husbands to consider alternative life pursuits. However, these male characters are portrayed as deeply associating their professional service with their core identity, leading them to seek a return to their previous lives. Man-su exemplifies this by channeling his efforts into planning murders rather than personal or professional development.
Stylistically, 'No Other Choice' employs cinematic techniques reminiscent of classic suspense, featuring elements like cross-fades, reverse-angles, and jump cuts, drawing comparisons to Hitchcock's work. The film incorporates narrative elements such as recurring jokes and callbacks, including characters using the film's title to avoid accountability. Architectural elements like Man-su's home, which combines traditional French-style with Brutalist features, are also highlighted. The film repeatedly presents Man-su with opportunities to abandon his resolve to revert to his former life, but he consistently chooses his original path, maintaining personal responsibility for his actions.