“Shakespearean in its violence, OLDBOY also calls up nightmare images of spiritual and physical isolation that are worthy of Samuel Beckett or Dostoyevsky.” - Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
“A powerful film not because of what it depicts, but because of the depths of the human heart which it strips bare.” - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Friday, July 11, 8:15 p.m. & Saturday, July 19, 7:00 p.m. | Dae-su Oh, a businessman and a drunk, is kidnapped, imprisoned, and isolated from human contact for 15 years, a television serving as his only connection to the outside world. When he is suddenly released and challenged to find his captor, Dae-su Oh is plunged into a grisly game of cat and mouse, where acts of exquisitely choreographed violence serve as an outlet for his years of pain, and a dark history that traces far beyond the night he was imprisoned is slowly revealed. Korean master Park Chan-wook (DECISION TO LEAVE) stunned audiences with this twisted tale of revenge; when OLDBOY’s jaw dropping denouement arrives, you’ll want us to start the film again from the bloody beginning. Content consideration: includes themes of suicide, sexual assault and abuse, and animal cruelty.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - Grand Prize of the Jury, Cannes Film Festival
Nominee - Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival
Winner - Best Asian Film, Hong Kong Film Awards
Spoiler Alert | July 4–29, 2025
Zip your lips, hold your tongues, and keep it to yourself: you are entering a spoiler-free zone! The eight films of Spoiler Alert include twists, turns, and jaw-dropping conclusions, and the secrecy makes their reveals all the more satisfying. Some of you might try to guess the endings (beware of red herrings, false leads, and smokescreens!); others will relish the uncertainty. Either way, there’s nothing quite like the moment when everyone in the movie theater experiences the “aha!” together. No spoiler here; it’s the best.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu