Powered by another fantastic showcase from the ever-reliable Song Kang-ho, The Attorney is a riveting slice of South Korean history that brings an infamous incident to screen and delivers as a consistently captivating legal drama about an ambitious tax lawyer who decides to represent & defend a group of students arrested by the military regime on fabricated charges.
Co-written & directed by Yang Woo-suk in his directorial debut, the story first acquaints us with the titular character, the rise of his law firm and the events that ultimately lead to him taking up the notorious case. The other subplot depicts the human rights violations that was perpetrated by the military power during its rule before the two storylines clash & unravel in the court of law.
The non-linear narration has its hits n misses but it keeps the interest alive. The film starts as a light-hearted drama and takes its time to establish the protagonist which helps us invest in him despite his differing views which are then challenged & changed by the court proceedings. The performances are gripping, with Song adding another impressive work to his acting oeuvre and leads from the front.
Overall, The Attorney is a skilfully crafted & brilliantly acted historical account of South Korea's dark past that rides almost entirely on Song's fantastic input to steer past the finish line, and is by all means a promising start for its debutant director. Informative, enlightening & entertaining throughout, the film isn't as provocative or politically charged as it could've been but it delivers the desired goods with finesse.
