By – Gareth Jones

For fans of Hirokazu Kore-eda, thoughtful murder mysteries, ethical debates artfully presented

I still remember barely moving, just sitting in my seat after viewing Afterlife in 1998. It was mine, and the world’s first major introduction to the future auteur director Hirokazu Kore-eda and his deeply moving and beautiful cinema.  In the next two decades, he has established himself as one of if not the greatest directors working in Japan and maybe the world.  He consistently explores the human condition with a strong sense of ethical inquiry and artistic integrity.  His films explore what it means to be a human trying to make sense of the world in which we live.  His films examine some of the most difficult and challenging questions, but always from a humanist eye.

The Third Murder came out in 2017 in between two of his most critically acclaimed films, After the Storm (2016) and Shoplifters (2018).  For me, it was sadly lost in the shuffle of his productivity.  Now that I have seen it, I would put it right up there next to his beloved films.  It is astonishing.  It tells the story of a murder, but it is much more than that.  The film begins with the murder, we see it happen and know who did it.  We see Misumi (Koji Yakusho) bludgeon his boss at the riverbank.  No mystery there. What is ultimately the mystery to be solved is why? The film then moves to the story from the perspective of a young, successful lawyer named Shigemori (Masaharu Fukuyama) who has been asked to help defend Misumi in spite of his confessing to the crime.  What unfolds is an examination of who is telling the truth, who has the right to be judged or do the judging, and ultimately why we are born and the questioning of the value of life when so many are hurt by others.  It is a slow burn, but the conclusion is shattering. Kore-eda confronts his characters and the audience with questions. Who ultimately has the right to kill? Are there any reasons that exist to justify murder?  Doe the state or government have the right?

As in all of his films, the acting is stellar.  The always great Koji Yakusho presents a master class in his performance.  His facial expressions and body movements add so much to our understanding of his character.  Often the opposite of the words that he is speaking.  Meeting him at the same level is Fukuyama who is also a popular singer/musician in Japan.  His performance is heart-breaking. The one-on-one scenes in the prison visitation room is pure acting.  The camera moves back and forth with precise reflections showing the ways in which the two characters mirror each other and also when they go in different ways.  It is hypnotizing.

Kore-eda is worthy of the auteur label.  He writes, directs, and edits his films.  There is an astonishing consistency in his voice and presentation of ideas.  He salutes the great filmmakers of Japan, most notably Ozu (as seen here with the shots of power lines and railroads/tracks), whilst creating his own vision.  And that vision in The Third Murder is astonishing.  There were multiple times where I actually paused the film to see the beauty of a shot.  You will know it when you see them, and they are truly transcendent in the Paul Schrader definition. The cinematographer is Mikaya Takimoto who has only been the DP for three films, all directed by Kore-eda.

Like many of his films, The Third Murder does not fit neatly into a genre. They are all dramatic, presenting experiences that are grand and small, but all with the same respect.  All are intertwined with his deep belief in humanity.

Available to stream on MUBI or Amazon Prime