Decision To Leave: Complex Murder Mystery/Erotic Drama (Korean w/ Subtitles)

Park Chan-wook, the Co-Writer/ Director of this film, is well-known for prior successful films, “Oldboy” and “Handmaiden.”  This movie has received excellent reviews and is on numerous Best 10 lists.  It’s a Korean film with subtitles.  Although there is much to admire, its excessive length and very confusing plot spoiled it for me.

Hae-joon (not to be confused with “Hey Jude”), played by Park Ha-il, is a Homicide Detective troubled by chronic insomnia.  He works in Busan, but his wife lives in Ipo, so he only sees her when he isn’t working on cases.  Their marriage has some problems, but they have a good sex life.  Hae-joon gets assigned a case where a Korean mountain climber has died by falling off a cliff.  Was it suicide, an accident, or was he perhaps pushed?  (The Director is a stylistic master.  For example, one of his subtle touches is that the dead man has his eyes open and little bugs are crawling over his eyes.)

Hae-joon interviews the man’s beautiful and super-sexy Chinese wife, Seo-rae (played by Tang Wei), but she doesn’t seem to be experiencing any grief.  This raises his suspicions that she may have murdered him.  Soon he learns that she is wanted for murder in China!  Nevertheless, Hae-joon falls madly in love with her, becomes obsessed with her, and, as he investigates the case, discovers further evidence that she probably murdered him!  Call me crazy, but one would think that a seasoned homicide detective – who is married and has a pretty good sexual relationship with his wife – would proceed with some caution, no matter how beautiful the widow is!  Therefore, I found this plot hard to believe.  Clearly, Hae-joon isn’t seeing things straight (symbolized by morning fog and his frequent use of eyedrops).

I won’t say any more about the plot, but it was very hard for me to follow.  I even needed to check Wikipedia to make sure that I understood the plot correctly.  I would have much preferred the film to have a more straightforward and streamlined plot and be 30 minutes shorter.  On the other hand, the acting is first-rate, there are some terrific scenes, and it’s an interesting and unusual love story/erotic crime thriller.

Although it won’t be on my Top 10 list, I think the film is still worth seeing, although I’d wait to rent it on Amazon Prime.  You can watch it on two nights if you want, and it will spare you the difficult “decision to leave” if you are at the theater and aren’t into it!

P.S.: I saw two good TV movies, but I don’t have time to write the reviews.  They are both 7.0’s and are free.  The performances by the leads are excellent.

1. “The Good Nurse”: Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne – Two nurses become close friends, but one is a serial killer! (Netflix)
2. “Causeway”: Jennifer Lawrence and Bryan Tyree Henry – Pretty Veteran returns from Afghanistan with PTSD and a brain injury.  Her truck breaks down and she meets a black mechanic.  They develop an interesting relationship.  (Apple TV+)