The Third Murder (2018)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Watched: 3/18/19
Rating: 4/5
A Mesmerizing Murder
Koreeda’s films lull me. Never in a bad way, either.
Bloody, but only what is necessary to emphasize the significance of the murder. Twists and turns, enough to keep us guessing. Such expressive faces. Study the expressions, as they change and meld. Appreciate the clever angles (especially watch the final scene between the two men, as their faces literally blend together), the cinematography (stunning snow landscapes), the mise en scene (in courtroom, on cell visits). Koreeda does Contemplative Cinema with great finesse. If this is an accurate portrayal, prisons in Japan are way nicer than they are here! Who judges us? Who is to say? Keeps suspense fresh, we wonder did he do ot or did he not. And even if he did, could it be in a morally grey area, in which it is a vigilante-like, forgivable murder? Dare we consider a condonable one? And is the law any better with its death penalty? What makes the death penalty excusable but not the murder of a man who has dinner undeniable harm to others and the world? Loved the actor playing the protagonist lawyer (Shigemori), Fukuyama, as the father in Koreeda’s “Like Father, Like Son”. Yakusho, who plays the client and man on death row here (Misumi), is similarly enigmatic in Iñárritu’s “Babel” (Although I personally like him better in Aoyama’s “Eureka”) Throughout, was enamored by the music. To find out that the soundtrack was by none other than one of my favorite all time classical artists, Ludovico Einaudi, was pure icing on the cake!
morals-based suspense,
not your usual Koreeda,
cerebral slow-burn.