Juror 8 배심원들 - Movie Review

 

Title: Juror 8 배심원들

Genre: Suspense, Law

Release: 2019

Starring (Main Cast): 

Park Hyung Sik as Kwon Nam Woo [Juror 8]

Moon So Ri as Kim Joon Gyum

Jo Soo Hyang as Oh Soo Jung [Juror 7]

Jo Han Chul as Choi Yeong Jae [Juror 5]

Seo Jung Yeon as Byun Sang Mi [Juror 4]

Kim Mi Kyung as Yang Choon Ok [Juror 2]

Yoon Gyung Ho as Jo Jin Shik [Juror 3]

Baek Soo Jang as Yoon Geu Rim [Juror 1]

Screenwriter & Director: Hong Seung Wan

Rakuten Viki Rating: 9.7/10

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Audience Rating: 4.8/5

MyDramaList Rating: 8.4/10

Rakuten Viki Synopsis: Click Here

Watch with VIKIPASS Standard on Rakuten Viki: Juror 8 

Running Time: 114 minutes

Content Rating: PG

Violence: Minor, though there is death and images of someone falling, some blood.

Sexual Content: None

Language: I did not note any language in the subtitles of the version I watched.

Ending: Happy, satisfying

My Synopsis

The first jury trial in the history of South Korea was supposed to be a cut and dry case, with a clear outcome of the defendant's guilt. But, when a young juror begins to question the lack of solid evidence it quickly turns into something more. Under the criticism of his peers, Juror 8 fights against the popular opinion to learn the truth. Can he sway the rest of the jury to see his point of view? Can he uncover evidence to prove the defendant innocent, or will he be wrong in the end?

Trailer

My Review: 10/10

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I was going to like a movie that revolved around one event, but I was pleasantly surprised. I am not really a movie person to begin with, but this one held my interest from start to finish. The story mainly focuses on the role that Juror 8 played in the case as circumstances cause him to question the defendant's guilt. We see right away that even though he may not know a lot about the law, he is a good person with a good heart who doesn't want to make a decision that could affect someone's entire life. Over the course of the movie he changes the view of one person after another, even the hardest against are won over by his passion for the truth and in the end, that is what prevails. Maybe also proves that the decision to move to jury trials was a good one. 

The role of Juror 8 (Kwon Nam Woo) was played by Park Hyung Sik. If you have read other reviews and articles here you will know that he is my favorite actor at the moment. He definitely did not disappoint me here. The character he plays here is a little less confident and quiet. He acts very unsure of himself most of the time, which is probably one reason why he struggles so much with his decision even when everyone else is so convinced of the defendant's guilt. His character ends up in the spot of Juror 8 somewhat by chance and he is considered a bit of a weak link. But, time does not allow for another choice and so he is in. Something the judge and higher ups regret at first. Park Hyung Sik did a phenomenal job in this role. He has a way of fitting himself so perfectly to the character he is set to play and I truly believe him to be a chameleon when it comes to acting. 

The other lead main character was Judge Kim Joon Gyeom played by Moon So Ri. She was the put under pressure as the judge presiding over the first jury held case. It was widely publicized and the press was very much involved. She was reassured at the beginning that it would be an easy case and quickly finished. But, much to her frustration, it was not. She probably regretted most the addition of Juror 8. She questioned him before and found him to be lacking, but time did not allow for another replacement and despite what she wanted, she couldn't see going short of 8 jurors in this first case with them. However, she also was as gracious as one could be under the circumstances and even acknowledges at one point that juror 8 has a point on the lack of evidence. However, she also wields the power to veto the jury. Does it really matter what they say? Moon So Ri did an awesome job and was the perfect cast for this role.

I won't go through the entire leading cast, because it would take too long. However, I did want to mention the character Choi Yeong Jae [Juror 5] played by Jo Han Chul. This actor also happens to be one of my favorite actors. I have seen him in a lot of roles and I have enjoyed his portrayal of each and every one of them. Another chameleon in my opinion. He played the juror that was most difficult to sway. He just wanted to give a verdict and leave. His frustration with Juror 8 was sometimes just plain hilarious to me. Nothing like an antagonist character that you can't help but like. I don't know why, but I think this actor would be fun to know in real life. I just get that impression.

In conclusion, I feel this was a great movie! I would recommend it to anyone. It is clean and family friendly and carries a great message along with it. Not everything is as it seems. You can't judge by appearances. And, you should never assume without knowing the whole truth. It really made me wonder how many times investigations didn't go deep enough because those investigating already assumed how the situation went. Or how many times did those who question just go along with the majority for the sake of not standing out? How many people go to prison unjustly? Taking the risk to stand against the majority could be someone's salvation. You just never know what you are capable of doing and how your decisions can affect the lives of those around you. An excellent movie that I highly recommend for the whole family to watch!

Awards Won

Park Hyung Sik - 2019 - Best New Actor (39th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards); Popular Star Award (40th Blue Dragon Film Awards)

Juror 8 - Haberturk Audience Award (Istanbul International Crime And Punishment Fil Festival 2019)

안녕! - 줄스