The Attorney
Year: 2014
Runtime: 127 min
Language: Korean
Director: Woo-seok Yang
A rising lawyer's impressive career takes an unexpected turn when he uncovers a shocking injustice against a teenager wrongly accused. Haunted by the systemic corruption, Song Woo-seok abandons his comfortable life of power and prestige to defend the young man. He faces significant challenges as he fights to expose the truth and ensure justice prevails, putting his own reputation and safety at risk.
The Attorney (2014) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview
Get a spoiler-free look at The Attorney (2014) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In the simmering streets of 1970s‑80s Busan, a city caught between rapid development and shadowed politics, the ordinary rhythm of daily life is punctuated by whispers of dissent and the lingering scent of corruption. The bustling ports, cramped cafés, and looming government institutions create a backdrop where ambition and conscience constantly collide, giving the city a restless, almost electric atmosphere that feels both hopeful and foreboding.
Song Woo‑seok, a fiercely intelligent former judge turned lawyer, has built a reputation as the city’s most polished defender of lucrative real‑estate and tax disputes. His rise from a doubted bar‑exam candidate to a charismatic figure in the legal elite is marked by a blend of razor‑sharp wit, unconventional tactics, and a taste for the finer things—sailboats, fine dining, and the promise of a comfortable future. Yet beneath his confident exterior lies a lingering unease, sparked by a chance encounter that forces him to confront a truth far darker than any courtroom strategy.
When a teenage accusation surfaces, suggesting a grave miscarriage of justice, Song finds himself at a crossroads. The allure of power and prestige begins to feel hollow as he weighs the personal cost of stepping away from his thriving practice to champion a cause that threatens everything he has built. The film’s tone balances tense, brooding drama with moments of quiet reflection, inviting the audience to wonder how far a man will go when his sense of right battles the entrenched systems that shape his world.
Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 05:50
Explore Movie Threads
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Movies about fighting corruption like The Attorney
Ordinary individuals risk everything to expose a corrupt and powerful establishment.If you liked The Attorney's story of a lawyer taking on a corrupt regime, you'll find similar powerful dramas here. This list features movies about moral courage, exposing injustice, and the high-stakes battle against powerful, corrupt systems.
Narrative Summary
Stories typically begin with a protagonist living comfortably within or adjacent to a corrupt system. A specific injustice acts as a catalyst, forcing them to abandon their safety and confront the establishment. The narrative follows their increasingly perilous investigation and fight, often involving legal battles, public exposure, and direct threats from those in power.
Why These Movies?
These movies are grouped by their central theme of an individual's transformative fight against systemic corruption. They share a tense, urgent tone, heavy emotional weight from the depicted injustice, and a focus on moral courage as the driving force of the plot.
Bittersweet legal dramas like The Attorney
Stories where the fight for justice leaves deep scars but sows the seeds of hope.Fans of The Attorney's emotional ending will appreciate these movies. They feature similar bittersweet conclusions to fights for justice, where the immediate outcome is painful but the act of resistance itself leaves a lasting, hopeful impact.
Let There Be Light
2017
Kingdom of Heaven
2005
Dark Victory
1939
Boys on the Side
1995
Like Dandelion Dust
2009
Miracle in Cell No. 7
2019
The Princess and the Warrior
2001
Some Kind of Hero
1982
The Verdict
2013
Unbowed
2024
Dor
2006
No Tears for the Dead
2014
The Verdict
1982
The Sweet Hereafter
1997
Unbowed
2011
Narrative Summary
The emotional journey is defined by a heavy investment in a cause, leading to a climactic confrontation that results in a pyrrhic or ambiguous victory. The ending acknowledges the high cost paid by the characters—loss, trauma, or systemic failure—while simultaneously highlighting the moral victory, the inspiration sparked in others, or the undeniable progress made through the struggle.
Why These Movies?
These films are united by their emotionally complex, bittersweet endings. They balance the gravity of defeat with the power of principled resistance, creating a deeply impactful viewing experience that is both saddening and inspiring. The pacing is often steady, building towards this poignant conclusion.
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The Attorney Summary
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The Attorney Timeline
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