Possible Love — NYFF Review

The title of Lee Chang-dong’s first film in almost a decade feels somewhat misleading. Possible Love suggests a simple love story, but in reality, it delves into something far more complex. The film draws inspiration from Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Dekalog (1989) and even opens with the commandment: “Thou shalt not covet.” Yet to call this a story about envy would also be far too reductive. Instead, Possible Love is a richly nuanced character study and an understated examination of class divisions, desire, and the subtle tensions that emerge between people from vastly different circumstances.