Memoirs of a Murderer (2017) by Yu Irie
By Panos Kotzathanasis　January 9, 2018 0

Based on the Korean hit “Confessions of Murder”, Yu Irie’s edition of the film tries to place a great story in a Japanese setting, and manages to include even more twists than the original.

“Memoirs of a Murderer” is part of The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
The film starts with a mysterious man announcing the publishing of the book that describes the crimes he committed 15 years ago, just after the stature of limitations expire.
The repercussions of his action affect the whole of society, since the crimes were never solved, and the man retains a rather offensive attitude, describing his crimes in proud detail,
and acting as star. The media are all over the case, while the families of the victims are enraged with him.
Policeman Wataru Makimura, whose sister is considered a victim, despite the fact the her body was never found, and whose partner was killed by the man, was the only man ever to come
close to catching the perpetrator, even managing to wound him with a bullet in his shoulder.
As the events unfold in shocking speed and the theories crumble one after the other, major journalist and TV presenter Toshio Sendo becomes a central figure in the presentation of the case,
while Makimura retains an enigmatic stance.

Yu Irie builds the intricate story quite elaborately, as his narrative includes news pieces, footage from the past, flashbacks, and many scenes taking place during a TV show, which give the
first part of the film a sense that someone is watching an exclusive piece of news.
The second part features more elements of an action thriller, as the film takes an obvious commercial turn, and the script becomes somewhat hyperbolic in the number and the nature of twists it includes.