Hirokazu Kore-eda is known for a gentler kind of cinema, telling deeply human and intimate stories in pictures like “Nobody Knows,” “Hana,” “Still Walking,” “Like Father, Like Son” and “After The Storm.” However, the director is switching gears considerably and tackling the kind of movie we’d never expect from the patient, quiet filmmaker: a legal drama.
“The Third Murder” sees Kore-eda go into mystery mode, with his picture starring Hirose Suzu, Fukuyama Masaharu, and Yakusho Koji, telling the story of lawyer who begins believe his client, who is accused of murder, is actually innocent. Here’s the official synopsis:
Leading attorney Shigemori takes on the defence of murder-robbery suspect Misumi who served jail time for another murder 30 years ago. Shigemori’s chances of winning the case seem low – his client freely admits his guilt, despite facing the death penalty if he is convicted. As he digs deeper into the case, as he hears the testimonies of the victim’s family and Misumi himself, the once confident Shigemori begins to doubt whether his client is the murderer after all.
“The Third Murder” will screen at Venice and TIFF and open in Japan on September 9th. No word yet on a U.S. release date, but it’s likely not coming until next year. That said, we can’t wait to see what Koreeda serves up.
