Director Park Chan-wook’s film No Other Choice has begun screening in five U.S. cities, including New York.
On December 25, U.S. distributor NEON announced via its website and social media, “A cinematic masterpiece, Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice is now playing in select theaters.” A nationwide release is scheduled for January.
Based on American author Donald Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, the film follows Mansu (played by Lee Byung-hun), who, after being laid off, desperately searches for a new job and launches a personal war to protect his family.
Meanwhile, No Other Choice has been nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, and Best Actor (Lee Byung-hun) at the Golden Globe Awards. It has also made the Academy Awards’ shortlist of 15 titles for International Feature Film.
While the film’s box-office performance in Korea has been underwhelming, it appears to be receiving a much warmer response overseas.