23 January 2021

I Just Didn't Do It (Japan, 2006)

An unemployed young man is on the packed Tokyo subway en route to a job interview when a schoolgirl grabs him by the wrist and fingers him as a molester. A man was feeling her up on the train. The young man is arrested and no one, not the station master, the public defender or the police, seems the least interested in his protestations of innocence. It would be much more efficient if he would accept a plea bargain.

When a court drama has to be good, it has to be really good. It takes a lot to keep viewers attention when you're portraying a rather dry and stale environment as the court. I Just Didn't Do It manages to be very engaging, following an innocent man all the way through a tiring, long process in Japan's legal system, fighting a seemingly hopeless battle for justice. The actors are great and Koji Yakusho was a pleasant surprise to see showing up as a defense lawyer. 

The director Masayuki Suo has previously made the wonderful Shall We Dance? so I shouldn't be too surprised at the quality of the film but still, I Just Didn't Do It makes everything needed for a good film click.


Genre: Drama

5 comments:

  1. Do you guys take film review suggestions?

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  2. Replies
    1. is there an email? I couldn't find the contact info

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    2. Don't worry, just comment here and we will see it. :)

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    3. Would you review "In The Land of Lost Angels"? It's on amazon prime

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