Unfortunately this is one of those shows that I just can't bring myself to rate highly, purely because it made me feel so helpless. While the acting in it is better than I expected (the last scene was done well, I thought), I agree with the other review in that it is far too rushed. It is so much information to take in over too little time. It has the dark tones expected of a Higashino Keigo adaptation and is an interesting (sad, but true) commentary on Japanese society. I would, however, definitely recommend following it with something lighter if you're not so keen on feeling a bit down afterwards.
What is my main concern about this movie is that they try to combine too much into so little time. It probably needed a drama so the whole tragedy of the story and the drama of the characters would properly be presented and the viewer wouldn't have to go on a rushed journey through the years. Plus, in that way the viwer could have sympathized with the characters more. Or maybe they could have presented only some years of the hero's life rather than the whole thing. Anyway, I know that there is a drama too, so maybe that one is better. Other than that, the story is very emotional and heavy, as we see how society condemns a person because of what his brother had done, before even knowing him. Still, the plot was kind of rushed so it wasn't properly presented. In addition, the performances were really good and that helped the movie a lot. So, overall, six out of ten.
