The Third Murder

The Third Murder

Year: 2018

Runtime: 124 min

Language: Japanese

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda

Echo Score: 75
DramaMysteryCrime

A brilliant lawyer, Shigemori, takes on the defense of Misumi, a man who readily admits to murder. Initially believing the case straightforward, Shigemori soon finds his certainty shaken as unsettling details emerge. As he investigates, the line between guilt and innocence blurs, and he questions everything he thought he knew. The pursuit of justice becomes a complex and unsettling journey, leaving the outcome uncertain and the truth elusive.

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In a muted corner of contemporary Japan, the legal world moves with a quiet precision that mirrors the city’s own steady rhythm. Within this atmosphere, Shigemori—a seasoned defense attorney—carries the weight of countless courtroom battles while maintaining a calm, almost detached composure. His reputation rests on an uncanny ability to dissect the subtleties of testimony, and his partnership with the diligent assistant Kawashira forms a partnership built on quiet loyalty and mutual respect. Together they navigate a profession where truth often hides behind layers of formality and personal history.

When a new client appears, the case seems straightforward at first glance: a man who readily acknowledges a grave wrongdoing. This individual, Misumi, arrives with a history that reaches back decades, his past intertwined with the very judges and legal minds that now evaluate his fate. As Shigemori delves deeper, the simple narrative begins to fray, revealing hints of hidden motives, unresolved grievances, and the unsettling possibility that the line between guilt and innocence may be far more fluid than the law permits. The courtroom becomes a stage for probing questions rather than a venue for definitive answers.

The film unfolds as a contemplative legal drama, its tone a blend of measured tension and philosophical inquiry. It invites viewers to linger on the moral ambiguity that shadows every testimony, to feel the weight of a justice system strained by human complexity. Through restrained cinematography and a measured pace, the story examines how a lawyer’s pursuit of truth can become an unsettling journey into his own beliefs, leaving the audience to wonder whether certainty is ever truly attainable in a world where every story is filtered through personal perspective.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 02:28

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