Innocent Witness film review: Kim Hyang-gi, Jung Woo-sung in life-affirming courtroom drama

3.5/5 stars

Mental disability has long been stigmatised in South Korea, where sufferers can be hidden away by embarrassed family members and shunted to the margins by an unsympathetic society.

In director Lee Han’s Innocent Witness, the testimony of a 15-year-old autistic girl proves critical to the verdict in a murder case. Rather than question the innocence of the accused, the film examines the legitimacy of Ji-woo (Kim Hyang-gi of the Along with the Gods films) as a witness; the treatment she endures from both sides of the aisle becomes a teachable moment for us all.

Defence lawyer Soon-ho (Jung Woo-sung) is being groomed for a partner position in his law firm when he is asked to take on a pro bono case as a favour to his boss (Jung Won-joong). A housemaid, Mi-ran (Yum Hye-ran), stands accused of murdering her elderly employer, although she claims merely to have failed in her efforts to prevent his suicide.

Their scuffle is witnessed from across the street by Ji-woo, whose autism impedes her from interacting fully with the outside world. The prosecution has testimony from Ji-woo that she believes she saw Mi-ran attack her victim, and Soon-ho wants to put her on the witness stand despite the obvious trauma this will cause the teenager.

Soon-ho believes his only hope is to win the confidence of Ji-woo, who is bullied at school, and fiercely protected by her mother (Jang Young-nam) and by chief prosecutor Hee-joong (Lee Kyu-hyung). Ji-woo’s struggles are mirrored by Soon-ho’s own personal woes.

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He cares for his elderly father while shouldering his substantial financial debts, must resist the temptation to play dirty in order to succeed at his firm, and has also reconnected with an old flame (Song Yoon-ah) who is working on the opposing side of a high-profile lawsuit Soon-ho’s firm is embroiled in.

Somewhat inevitably, Innocent Witness charts Soon-ho’s arc towards understanding and enlightenment, rather than seeing Ji-woo’s quality of life improve. There’s never any doubt that the squeaky-clean lawyer will do the right thing when the time comes, but it is Kim’s deft and sensitive portrayal of the autistic girl that earns our sympathy organically as the drama unfolds.

Aside from an unnecessary third act which swerves into thriller territory, director Lee keeps several narrative and emotional balls in the air without making the drama feel overly convoluted. Its ending is predictable yet still makes an impact.

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