By Adam Ruhl
Kang-ho Song (Snowpiercer, Thrist) is back in a role that is
a substantial departure from what American audiences have seen him play in the
past. In ‘The Attorney’, he is the titular role of Woo-seok Song, a Korean lawyer
who starts out simply to make money from real estate licenses. When a young man
he knows is wrongly accused of subversive activity and tortured, Song has a
change of heart and becomes the man’s defense attorney.
This film from first time Director Woo-Seok Yang is a
fascinating courtroom drama and grants some insights into recent South Korean history.
It is loosely based around the true origin story of South Korea’s former
President Roh Moo-hyun. Set in 1980, it depicts a South Korea under an authoritarian
government, gripped by intense paranoia of communist infiltration. Song takes up a single handed battle to expose
a corrupt system in tale that feels in tone very much like some of the early John
Grisham stories.
The Attorney is bit oddly paced. There is a long
introduction to Song’s life, family, and career before we get to the land mark
case. This long set up has a completely different tone so that midway through
the movie it seems to change genres from comedy to drama abruptly. The strong cast and gripping story
make this a barely noticeable oversight.
The Attorney opens in select cities February 7th,
distributed by Well Go USA.
RUN TIME/FORMAT: 127 MIN / Digital formats / Korean with
English Subtitles / Not Rated
