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.
The film won Director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, The Handmaiden) the Award for Best Director at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
Mark says:
It’s a murder mystery, a doomed romance, a twisty “Hitchcockian” puzzle. There’s a dress that might be green, or is it blue? There are clues, confusions and connections, not least between the two main characters. And then they both go up a mountain, in the dark, and it’s snowing. And he walks towards the cliff edge…
Reviews:
“Park Chan-wook puts a ravishing spin on a timeless story of romantic obsession and a detective who falls for his suspect.”
Caryn James, BBC.com
“Park does it the hard way, building up a complex psychological and intellectual relationship, in which sexual desire feels like an emergent characteristic rather than a starting point.” Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film
“It’s got everything one would want in a neo-noir… gloriously-shot, stylish, romantic, and mysterious, with a shocking finale I didn’t see coming. Certainly one of the best films of 2022.” Ruth Maramis, FlixChatter Film Blog
“While the case is a slow burn, DECISION TO LEAVE delivers a clever payoff – and a disturbing denouement. Gradually shattering, it engulfs little by little, growing sadder and more unsettling with each wave.” Valerie Kalfrin