No Other Choice (2025) Film Review

Abruptly laid off after 25 years at the same company, a desperate man goes to extreme lengths to eliminate the competition for the job he wants.

No Other Choice is directed by Park Chan-wook director of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003), Lady Vengeance (2005), The Handmaiden (2016), Decision To Leave (2022) and many others.

No Other Choice is yet another masterful piece of work from Park Chan-wook, it’s a film that captures so many different sort of themes all in one quiet yet effective film that gets progressively more and more absurd as it goes on with several different exploration points to bring this wonderful film together.

The performances are all phenomenal, each of the cast bring their own effective style into the film that matches the clever atmosphere. Lee Byung-hun as Yoo Man-su is a prime example of this, he brings this relatable and believable character who has this complex antihero traits. He has the worry, frustration and sadness of losing a job all of which combined together leads to the film’s very absurd moments that feel all too real, Lee Byung-hun captures all of this masterfully and even captures the film’s dark humor when the film requires the actors to do so. His subtle performance that combines humor with beautiful and striking quiet moments lead to Lee Byung-hun to give one of the best performances of 2025.

Son Ye-jin who plays Lee Mi-ri, Man-su’s wife is another huge part of why this film works so well. Much like Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin gives this effective performance that captures the atmosphere almost immediately, her interactions with Lee Byung-hun feel incredibly raw and have this beautiful support to it that really feels like a wife who deeply cares about her husband. There are so many beautifully done moments with Lee Mi-ri that it’s truly fascinating. Her subtle facial expressions and discussions she has with the rest of the characters truly shines through.

The writing is masterful work, that is not a huge surprise given how excellent of a writer Park Chan-wook is, however he goes for something very different here. While there are bound to be comparisons to Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite (2019), No Other Choice is going for something very different and even goes about the whole theme in different ways. The main theme here is the loss of a job, what happens when you put all of your time and energy into your job. When you are compared, visible only when you need to be exploited, what happens when all of that time and energy you put into your job was taken due to the higher ups. You are suddenly fired, you have this built up rage inside of you that you want to release badly. No Other Choice explores all of this in great detail and truly brings it all together masterfully, it all feels very raw and brutal that truly brings the film to another level.

The film’s dark comedy is an added bonus that helps make the film not become way too dark, there’s a beautiful balance here that is subtle, careful and leads to some genuinely funny moments. A lot of the comedy comes from the body language of the characters and how they express their words, it is not done in this over the top way. They are done in this relatable reactions that feel quick and straight to the point, there is so much layers to the film’s comedy that is truly fascinating.

Overall No Other Choice is a fascinating film that truly captures its themes and delivers with its characters!

No Other Choice releases in theaters December 25th!

10/10 A+

NYFF Review: The Secret Agent (2025)

In 1977, Marcelo, a technology teacher, moves from São Paulo to Recife during Carnival to escape his violent past and start over. He finds the city full of chaos, and his neighbors begin to spy on him.

New York Film Festival Review

The Secret Agent is directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho director of Neighboring Sounds (2012), Aquarius (2016) and Barcurau (2019).

Much like last year’s I’m Still Here (2024), The Secret Agent also takes place during the Brazilian military dictatorship. The main difference here however are I’m Still Here (2024) took place early on during the dictatorship and it’s based on a true story, The Secret Agent takes place during the final years of the dictatorship and it’s not based on a true story. Just like I’m Still Here (2024), The Secret Agent is an incredibly powerful film that has much love, human feel, importance and even celebration of the Brazilian people poured into it. Which gives us some absolutely beautiful final results.

The performances are all fantastic, every single cast member of the film gives this honest and beautiful performance that truly never leaves your mind. There’s so much attention to detail with the body language of each of the cast and their natural conversations that it almost feels like you are right there sitting with them. Tânia Maria as Dona Sebastiana is perhaps my favorite of the supporting cast simply because of her entrance to the film, confident performance and the moments towards the end of the film where we hear about her experiences.

Wagner Moura being the best example of this, he plays Armando/Marcelo Alves, a former teacher who is caught in political turmoil. To say Moura knocks it out of the park would be the understatement of the year, his performance captures everything that’s needed to make a performance like this work. He captures the atmosphere the film is going for masterfully, he gives this subtle and powerful performance that leads to some gut punching raw moments that can only be described as masterful. Even before Armando/Marcelo’s backstory is fully revealed we can already see moments where he conveys this deep sense of pain and mystery, once we do get the full backstory we see how clever and brilliantly written the buildup really was. Moura is also just incredibly captivating to watch, effortlessly commands the screen and completely captures the many different type of moods the film’s atmosphere goes for, all of this combined together gives us one of the very best performances of the year.

The writing is absolutely outstanding, Filho does such an incredible job of giving all of these characters unique personalities and show how all of these characters connect. There is this theme of oppression constantly chasing them, it chases Armando/Marcelo constantly throughout the film. Even in the film’s happier moments that are supposed to be for celebration you can feel the characters still on edge because at any given moment their lives (which have already been put into a difficult situation) could get even worse.

The technical aspects of the film are jaw dropping. The absolutely gorgeous cinematography from cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova captures this raw and almost 70s and 80s style of neo noir that is incredibly appealing to the eye. The score from Tomaz Alves Souza and Mateus Alves combined with the editing from editors Eduardo Serrano and Matheus Farias give us one of the film’s very best scenes. It’s a tense scene that constantly goes back and forth between the characters involved, the editing is fast and sharp, the score is this quiet yet striking piece that builds the tension as it goes on and the atmosphere is top notch. There’s a lot of striking shots throughout the film that leave you in a sense of surprise and thought, there’s so much attention to detail here that really makes you engage with the film and its story.

Finally there’s the many other themes, I’ve already said before that there’s the theme of oppression but there’s also one of celebration of the Brazilian people. A celebration of how all of these people who were going through some of the most evil and disturbing actions stood by each other and celebrated the tiny moments, there’s this sense of togetherness and support that is genuinely beautiful. Lastly there’s the theme of how Brazil has changed over the years, the film at times goes back and forth from the past and the present day where two students are researching the events of the film. We do see the changes over the years but we also see how the oppression impacted the later generations. The film does have this hopeful end note, which brings this beauty yet sadness to the film that ends up making The Secret Agent one of the most important films of 2025.

Overall The Secret Agent is a powerhouse film that is truly one of the year’s best. It’s an incredibly impactful film that explores oppression, celebration and memories.

The Secret Agent releases November 26th in theaters.

10/10 A+

NYFF Review: Sprinsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (2025)

On the cusp of global superstardom, New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen struggles to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past as he records the album “Nebraska” in the early 1980s.

New York Film Festival Review

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is directed by Scott Cooper director of Crazy Heart (2009), Out Of The Furnace (2013), Black Mass (2015), Hostiles (2017), Antlers (2021) and The Pale Blue Eye (2022).

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is very different from the usual music biopic, for one thing the film mainly focuses on the conception of Springsteen’s 1982 album Nebraska and the struggles he went through making it. There are some flashbacks to his childhood as well but those are more so sprinkled in between and help paint the picture of what the film is telling us. All of this combined with the feel of being in Springsteen’s mind, the excellent performances and the film tackling mental health helps the film feel incredibly striking.

First and foremost we have the performances that are all very well done. Jeremy Allen White completely disappears in the role of Bruce Springsteen, not only does he capture Bruce’s voice incredibly well but he delivers this vulnerable and balance performance of striking depth and power. The quiet moments of him just staring tell so much without uttering a word, he bounces off of the rest of the cast masterfully and with his performance truly paints this beautiful picture of Bruce and what he was going through during this period of time. Jeremy Allen White really shows how excellent he is as an actor here and goes all out with playing Springsteen, during the later half of the film we see the vulnerability and the pain he’s going through which easily brings the viewer into the film. With this, Jeremy Allen White gives one of the most raw and beautiful performances of the year.

Jeremy Strong as Jon Landau Bruce’s manager is just as fantastic, Strong really ties into the whole mental health part of the film where he is a honest friend to Bruce during his roughest moments. The conversations between the two not only show how incredible Jeremy Strong is as an actor, but shows some of the film’s most beautiful and honest moments. I would be lying if I said that some of these moments almost made me cry, they depict the action and feel of friends letting you know that they are always there and will do the best they possibly can to help you. That’s something Jeremy Strong’s performance truly gives off and it works so incredibly well, while yes he does typical manager stuff during some parts of the film. He still absolutely cares for Bruce and the bond between the two truly is one of the film’s strongest assets.

Paul Walter Hauser gives a solid comedic performance, the comedy does not overstay its welcome which is a smart move considering the themes the film tackles. Odessa Young is solid here, while she is not in the film all that much Bruce’s mental health does impact the two’s relationship and does tie into the whole theme of mental health. It’s one of those “your mind is destroying things you are most looking forward to” sort of moments that feel all to real for anyone who’s dealt with these sort of moments before. Finally there’s Stephen Graham who plays Bruce’s father, Bruce has a complicated relationship with him due to a number of factors and over the course of the film we see said reasons. But we also see that slowly but surely there’s some semblance of reconstructing a bond, Graham gives a very strong performance.

The writing is beautifully done, while it may feel a bit simple at times there truly is something powerful underneath it all. The film shows us the positives and negatives of being a music artist, while yes it’s wonderful it also comes with drawbacks such as the producers wanting what THEY think will be successful rather than letting said artist do what they want. This clearly upsets Springsteen as he wants the authentic version of his music, this is an issue in the music industry that is still quite present today especially with younger artists.

I have brought this up a lot of times now but the way the film tackles mental health is truly powerful, honest and quite beautiful. The film’s main theme here is sometimes you just need someone in your corner and to never be afraid to ask for help, seeing the scenes of Bruce being incredibly happy with Faye Romano (played by Odessa Young) one moment and then seeing their torn apart relationship due to Bruce’s struggles is heartbreaking and as I said before feels all to real. There’s one particular scene where Odessa Young’s dialogue is honest and truly captures a lot of the film’s themes incredibly well.

Luckily the film does end on a hopeful note, one that is an important message for many who struggle with these issues, it’s a truly beautiful film that shows the vulnerability of man and what he was going through at the time.

Overall Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is a fantastic film that you should check out whether you are a Bruce Springsteen fan, a music biopic fan or are interested in general! It’s a raw and beautiful watch.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere releases in theaters Friday.

9/10 A

NYFF Review: Blue Moon (2025)

Lorenz Hart struggles with alcoholism and mental health issues. He attempts to maintain his composure during the premiere of “Oklahoma!”.

Blue Moon is directed by Richard Linklater director of Dazed And Confused (1993), The Before Trilogy (1995-2013), Boyhood (2014), Hit Man (2023) and many others.

Blue Moon is yet another fantastic film from director Richard Linklater, I really do appreciate how with each of his films he gives the viewer a much different experience. This film is an example of Linklater at his most humorous combined with some genuinely strong filmmaking that’s able to keep this beautiful balance to the end.

The performances are all fantastic here, even when certain members of the cast are not asked to do all that much they still land some quite memorable and often hilarious performances. Ethan Hawke plays Lorenz Hart and to cut to the chase, he gives one of the best performances of the year and quite honestly one of the best of his career. Everything that needed to be captured with his performance was and it’s absolutely glorious to watch unfold. Hawke captures the perfect amount of humor and drama needed to really make this all work, he plays off member of the cast masterfully. One moment in particular with Margaret Qualley towards the end of the film is one of the film’s very best moments and is a perfect example of why Hawke’s performance is so great. It’s a comedic yet focused performance that brings some of the best elements of a dramatic performance, this is one of those performances where the actor completely disappears into the role and just keeps getting better and better with every second. Ethan Hawke captures this comedic yet tragic portrayal of Lorenz Hart and absolutely nails it.

Andrew Scott who plays Richard Rogers has plenty of great scenes with Ethan Hawke, the conversations between the two are investing and have this nice balance of seriousness and humor. Bobby Canavale is a scene stealer with his brilliant and glove fitting like comedic timing that is bound to make the viewer laugh. Finally there’s Margaret Qualley who may not get the most screen time, but she still ends up giving such a beautiful and strong performance. She captures the film’s atmosphere with confidence and the previously mentioned scene between her and Ethan Hawke highlights the amount of fun and strength she brings to the film.

The writing is both humorous and sharp, the comedic timing from everyone involved is well done and the writing has a ton of musical theater references that any fan of musical theater will adore. The references themselves are cleverly used and do not overcrowd the film, there’s plenty of other types of humor that everyone can enjoy. The film has its vulgar moments but it’s to the point where it’s endearing and charming, in almost any other circumstance these moments could come off as out of place or they just fall flat. But due to the atmosphere that Linklater goes for and the clever and witty script by writer Robert Kaplow, everything fits together like a jigsaw puzzle.

The jazzy vibe combined with the film taking place in a singular bar is another part that really gives this film its identity. It especially works since hearing Lorenz Hart’s conversations with Eddie (played by Bobby Canavale) or any of the other customers at the bar actually feels like an unhinged night out at the bar, Linklater’s direction does such a fascinating job of showcasing all of these conversations no matter how big or small. You easily get the “life of the party” sense from Lorenz Hart and that shows almost immediately. His unhealthy fascination with Elizabeth Weiland (played by Margaret Qualley) leads to some hilarious back and forths between Hart, Eddie and the rest of the customers it’s all so brilliantly put together.

Overall Blue Moon is one of my favorite films of the year, it’s an absolute joy to watch and is backed by incredibly strong performances especially from Ethan Hawke.

Blue Moon releases tomorrow in theaters.

10/10 A+

NYFF Review: The Fence (2025

As supervisor Horn is welcoming his partner Léone into the hut he shares with engineer Cal, a man called Alboury appears outside. He is determined to stay there until they return the body of his brother to him, who was killed on the site.

New York Film Festival Review

The Fence is directed by Claire Denis director of The City (1999), Let The Sunshine In (2017), High Life (2018), Both Sides Of The Blade (2022), Stars At Noon (2022) and many others.

Claire Denis is a director I have so much respect for, she takes risks and sometimes they land and sometimes they don’t. Even when one of her films do not land they still have a decent amount to like, that’s absolutely the case with The Fence. A film in which it’s very clear that Denis has respect for the source material, but unfortunately due to the repetitive dialogue and the movie taking way too long to get going it ultimately does not have enough firepower to reach the finish line.

The main part holding this movie on its feet are the performances, each members of the cast brought something to the table and they all play their parts very well. Isaach de Bankolé plays this quiet yet determined man whose goal is to simply retrieve a body of a man who was killed due to another person’s outburst. He carries the emotional weight of the movie and although the dialogue between him and Matt Dillon does get repetitive, he still makes the most of the material he is given. Speaking of which Matt Dillon does pretty well here, there’s times where it does feel like some of the dialogue comes off as a cartoonish villain type of way, however his arguments with Tom Blyth and the repetitive yet somewhat thrilling negotiations with Bankolé is more than enough to make up for the weaker parts.

Mia McKenna-Bruce’s character Leonie unfortunately does not get a whole lot of development outside of being Horn’s (played by Matt Dillon) new wife, still she does give a pretty strong performance and even manages to take a not very interesting character and turn her into someone the viewer is at least intrigued by. Finally there’s Tom Blyth who plays Cal a character who goes from being calm to this drunken rage as well as being unhinged, Blyth does a really great job here and brings some thrilling atmosphere into the movie and is somewhat intimidating. Over the course of the movie we do get to see just how evil Cal is as a character and what led up to the innocent man’s death, Blyth plays this part incredibly well and really shows just how much of a great actor he really is.

As with most Claire Denis films the filming is quite beautiful, the location being in Senegal specifically in this site that was actually being converted into an industrial area. It creates this tension and atmosphere that are genuinely thrilling, the cinematography from Éric Gautier is very stage like (which does make sense due to the movie being based on Black Battles with Dogs) and I mean this in a good way, the use of shadows is beautiful and the movie itself just has this haunting yet kind beautiful filming feel going on.

The main things holding The Fence back are the dialogue, the pacing and taking way too long to get going. As I said before the dialogue ultimately becomes incredibly repetitive, there’s only so many times you can have Horn tell Alboury (played by Isaach de Bankolé) to “leave or come back tomorrow” before it starts getting incredibly old.

The pacing is incredibly sluggish and does not really result into anything fascinating, It’s a huge slow burn without the power results. The movie attempts to discuss the theme of neocolonialism but only barely explores it, sure there’s the whole evading responsibility part of it with Horn trying to sweep the “accident” under the rug. But unfortunately that’s all we really get out of it, none of these characters are given any major development at all and we are just kind of stuck with the little we are given.

Overall The Fence is not a bad movie, it’s just a very underwhelming one that does not have the power it needs to really stand on its own. I would say this should be looked at simply because of the performances.

The Fence currently has no release date.

5/10 C

NYFF Review: Scarlet (2025)

A sword-wielding princess embarks on a dangerous quest to avenge the death of her father. She soon meets an idealistic young man who shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness and rage.

New York Film Festival Review

Scarlet is directed by Mamoru Hosoda director of One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (2005), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006), Summer Wars (2009), Wolf Children (2012), The Boy and the Beast (2015), Mirai (2018) and Belle (2021)

Mamoru Hosoda is a director who has delivered consistently with tons of great films that lead to some fantastic and mesmerizing experiences, however coming off of Hosoda’s previous film Belle (2021) his newest film Scarlet is quite a big disappointment. The film undeniably has some gorgeous animation that leads to some strong sequences and the final act ends up being a bit better than the movie’s rough middle portion. However Scarlet is ultimately a very watered down version of Willam Shakespeare’s Hamlet that does not add anything new or compelling.

The voice cast is all around great, with such a shallow script the cast does what they can a while there are some well done moments and the side characters get some admittedly cute moments. It’s Scarlet herself that just does not have enough character writing to make for an investing character, during the first 30 minutes or so we get some decent character building for her and then afterwards it almost feels like the movie completely stops. So many different themes and characters are thrown at the viewer that the movie loses focus on its main character, Hijiri is a fine enough secondary main character but the whole plot point with him is incredibly predictable and can be seen coming from a mile away.

The writing wants to be more than a watered down Hamlet but fails to do so in any unique or interesting way, there’s a pop song sequence that seemingly comes out of nowhere and takes the viewer completely out of the film. The villains of the story are shallowly written most of them are nothing more but bloodthirsty henchmen and Claudius the big bad of the movie does get a solid introduction but is not seen again until the movie is almost over making any sort of intrigue as a character next to impossible.

The animation is without a doubt the best part of the movie, as I said before it leads to some genuinely stunning moments and fun sequences. The attention to detail is sharp, clear and makes the movie’s world stand out a bit more. But that’s about as far as it goes, the animation can really only do so much when you have such a shallow script that fails to elaborate on any of its characters.

Scarlet is a disappointment, it’s a shame because there was potential for something great here. The right materials are here and the way the movie tackles life and death is genuinely interesting. But unfortunately the middle portion heavily lacks strong writing and is way to forgettable for its own good.

Scarlet releases in theaters December 12th (Limited) and February 6th (Wide)

5/10 C