Director Hirokazu Koreeda reunited with actor Masaharu Fukuyama in this legal battle film 'The Third Murder'. A defense lawyer (Masaharu Fukuyama) is representing a murder suspect (Kôji Yakusho), who has a criminal record from a murder 30 years ago and confesses to the murder charge. When the lawyer digs into the case's truth, more mystery and confusion arise.
'The Third Murder' is exposing possible shortcomings in Japan's, or in general modern day legal system. Ex-cons may not have a fair trial, and the general public often judges on whether a suspect is guilty or not before they are even trialed. Whatever happens to "innocent until proven guilty"? The truth is often misled or ignored. The film does not tell you the truth of the case. Instead, it leaves you space to think about what is justice.
The two leading actors give yet again another great performance that brings out the tension between an elite lawyer and his underdog client.