Overview
A tax lawyer's life takes a dramatic turn as he fights for justice and democracy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- earnest
- cathartic
- historical film night
- political cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film emotionally forceful and anchored by Song Kang-ho's performance, while viewing its historical courtroom drama as effective but somewhat conventional.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Song Woo-seok begins as a status-conscious tax lawyer and changes through Jinwoo's arrest and trial.
The trial places legal representation and civil liberties directly against the military regime.
The story connects Jinwoo's prosecution and Song's activism to South Korea's democratization movement.
Song's professional response to an old friend's arrest develops into commitment to democratization.
Films like The Attorney, and why
A Few Good Men
shared courtroom drama structure, political repression, and moral awakening
The Trial of the Chicago 7
shared civil liberties conflict, principled legal advocacy, and historical drama
1987: When the Day Comes
shared authoritarian political context, resistance, and emotionally charged social drama
To Kill a Mockingbird
shared courtroom confrontation, state violence, and transformation through political struggle
Movie Details
- Director
- Yang Woo-seok
- Release Date
- 2013-12-18
- Runtime
- 127 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (232)
Cast
- Song Kang-ho
- Kim Young-ae
- Oh Dal-su
- Yim Si-wan
- Kwak Do-won
- Jo Min-ki
- Song Young-chang
- Lee Sung-min
- Jung Won-joong
- Lee Hang-na
Common questions
- What is The Attorney about?
- A status-conscious Busan lawyer finds his conscience in a politically charged trial and risks everything to oppose authoritarian injustice.
- What is The Attorney like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Attorney as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Attorney violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Attorney as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Attorney?
- Critics broadly found the film emotionally forceful and anchored by Song Kang-ho's performance, while viewing its historical courtroom drama as effective but somewhat conventional.
- Which films are like The Attorney?
- Films with a similar feel include A Few Good Men, The Trial of the Chicago 7, 1987: When the Day Comes, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
- How long is The Attorney?
- The Attorney runs 127 minutes.
