I Just didn't do it
Original Title
それでもボクはやってない
Soredemo boku wa yattenai
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Release : Jan-20-2007 Duration : 143min. ©︎2006 Fuji Television Network/ Altamira Pictures/ Toho
STAFF
Director : Masayuki Suo (Shall We Dance?) Screenplay : Masayuki Suo (TALKING THE PICTURES) CAST
Ryo Kase (Letters from Iwo Jima) Asaka Seto (LADY MAIKO) Koji Yamamoto (TALKING THE PICTURES)
INTRODUCTION
It's not enough to plead ignorance. Tomorrow it might be you on trial.
Masayuki SUO, writer-director of the world-renowned "Shall We Dance?" makes his return to feature filmmaking after an 11 year absence.
In "Fancy Dance"(1989) he examined the little-known world of apprentices Buddhist monks. In "Sumo Do, Sumo Don't"(1992) he explored the intricacies of university sumo wrestling.
In "Shall We Dance?" he gave the same treatment to the twilight world of Japanese ballroom dance. This time he brings his powerful yet entertaining analysis is to bear on the little-known world of the Japanese legal system. This story of one man, falsely accused of the crime of molestation, examines the problems of an authoritarian judicial system where an individual faces the full, unchecked weight of state power.
STORY
"If you're innocent, surely there's no way they can find you guilty?"
Teppei KANEKO is a young guy, typical of many of his generation; he works part-time, hangs out in Tokyo and tires to figure out what life has in store for him.
He finds out the hard way. Finally getting his act together, he's on his way to his first job interview when he's accused of groping a young schoolgirl on the train.
He desperately pleads his innocence but the police are only interested in coercing a quick confession and closing the books. Before he knows what's going on his denials plunge him into a Kafka-esque world of bureaucracy and precedent.
Being held in custody is a frustrating, brutalizing and lonely experience for Teppei. The prosecutor ignores his explanations of innocence and he's summarily arraigned for trail. In Japan judges are promoted for the speed with which they deal with their caseloads with a resulting in a 99.9% guilty rate. Belying its adoption of most aspects of modern democracy, Japan does not have trail by jury and presumption of guilt is reality in all but name.
Being held in custody is a frustrating, brutalizing and lonely experience for Teppei. The prosecutor ignores his explanations of innocence and he's summarily arraigned for trail. In Japan judges are promoted for the speed with which they deal with their caseloads with a resulting in a 99.9% guilty rate. Belying its adoption of most aspects of modern democracy, Japan does not have trail by jury and
presumption of guilt is reality in all but name.
Meanwhile Teppei's mother and slacker best friend Tatsu, form an unlikely alliance to organize on his behalf.
As his circle of friends and supporters gathers round, so too the noose of "justice" tightens and power of the state moves against one young man who is about to have to grow up very fast.