Review of Decision to Leave (2022) by Matimiter — 02 Aug 2023

Decision to Leave begins with a man failing from a steep peak, which is another case assigned to detective Hae-joon (Park Hae-il), who quickly assumes the man’s wife, Seo-rae (Wei Tang) as one of his main suspects. The movie then very quickly drops tons of other information and plot twists, leaving us for the majority of it as confused and seeking answers as the main detective himself. This structure and deadly tempo may be confusing to some people as it was for me. It’s easy to get lost in all the nuisances of the investigation, especially since it feels like there are a few plot holes. Some pieces of alibi aren’t that strong and could be easily tipped over. Nevertheless, the beauty of the romance between two main characters is so captivating and addicting, that you deliberately look down on these aspects and focus on the dynamic between them. Decision to Leave is essentially mainly a romantic story of Hae-joon and Seo-rae. It’s another one of love stories that have too many obstacles to ever become real and bear fruit–a concept so popular in culture, one could argue it’s impossible to breathe new life into it. Yet, Park Chan-wook manages to do so. The true essence of the movie lies in its attention to detail. For one reason, it’s a crime film, so it’s quite self-explanatory why the director gives them so much attention in terms of plot. But these details are also the main tool to tell a blossoming love story between Hae-joon and Seo-rae. When watching Decision to Leave, viewers are eager to see the romance finally come alive in its full form, especially since the movie treats us with numerous minor gestures from both characters. We’re practically addicted to the chemistry between the two and are rooting for a happy ending for them, though, deep down we know it’s not meant to be.

Both main actors make every effort to keep us hooked, and with nostalgic, foggy scenery, we watch the film as if we were in hypnosis. It works so well we overlook the tiny holes in the script. Although the director makes sure it has a lot of breadcrumbs to pick as we watch it, though, it’s impossible to do so at the first viewing, which makes a rewatch almost mandatory. Outdoor scenery isn’t the only strong point in Decision to Leave’s astonishing graphic storytelling. It also presents interior scenes so well-framed, adding another reason why you stay involved until the very end. With such unique plot, Decision to Leave is a movie flawed in a number of ways. It’s simultaneously so compelling it just lives rent-free in your head and heart weeks after you’ve watched it, which is, frankly speaking, a notable achievement.