This is a two-part Japanese thriller. The premise is that a school boy (栢木) was found dead on campus. The police and school determined that the boy committed suicide. However, an anonymous letter reports that a bully (大出) at school killed 栢木. So the students together decide to hold a mock trial at school to find out the truth.
The pace of the story is a bit slow. And some plots are unreasonable. For example, when the bully hits and steps on the face of the victims (三宅、淺井), the victims did not fight back or protect themselves but just lay on the ground and let the bully steps on them. Moreover , the bullying happens in a residential area, how come no one (except the protagonist 藤野) hears their screaming and comes to help?
The trial is supposed to be a serious matter because the story used the first part of the movies to explain the background of all the characters involved. So the trial, which is the second part of the movie, is the highlight of this story.
It seems that the mock trial is very organized. The students take up roles of the judge, prosecutor, defence lawyer, secretary and jury.
The motive of the boy from another school (神原) to involve so much in the trial is a mystery, but it will be explained near the end of the movie.
When the trial is over, the people stepping out the court carry smiles on their face. Is it appropriate to smile on a suicide case? Or are they smiling at the ridiculousness of the mock trial?
Anyway, the students serve the mock trial as a resolution to overcome their shadows and it certainly reaches what they are looking for.
The movie ends with U2's famous song With or Without You. It is a very nice touch of the movie. Every time I hear it I have goosebumps.
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