Thirteen Steps (2003) 13 kaidan (original title)

Director:

Masahiko Nagasawa

Writers:

Kazuaki Takano (novel)
Tadashi Morishita (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 February 2003 (Japan)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot:

A released inmate is hired to solve a murder case. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Takashi Sorimachi	...	Junichi Migami
Tsutomu Yamazaki	...	Shoji Nango
Kankurô Kudô	...	Toru Kihara
Tsurube Shôfukutei	...	Sugiura
Rena Tanaka	...	Ako Nango
Tetsuya Bessho	...	Nakamori
Susumu Terajima	...	Okazaki
Hiroyuki Miyasako	...	Minoru Terada
Ren Ohsugi	...	Norio Ando
Naomi Nishida	...	Kazuko Migami (Junichi's Sister)
Sabu Kawahara
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kôjun Itô
Sanshô Shinsui		(as Sanshô Shinsui)
Hiroshi Yamamoto

Directed by
Masahiko Nagasawa

Writing credits
Kazuaki Takano		(novel)
Tadashi Morishita		(screenplay)

Produced by
Masaru Kakutani	....	producer
Hisao Masuda	....	associate producer
Minako Mita	....	producer
Masaki Miyauchi	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Nick Wood

Cinematography by
Junichi Fujisawa

Film Editing by
Shûichi Kakesu

Casting by
Yumiko Kuga

Art Direction by
Fumio Ogawa

Sound Department
Osamu Takizawa	....	sound

Music Department
Todd Hayen	....	orchestrator
Scott McRae	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
David Magdael	....	publicist

Production Companies

• Fuji Television Network
• Imagica Corp.
• Pony Canyon
• Toho Company

Distributors

• Pony Canyon

Other Companies

• Future System Consolting  filming cooperation
• Iwata Manufacturing  filming cooperation
• Sotobo Taxi  filming cooperation

Also Known As:

"13 kaidan" - Japan (original title)

Runtime:

USA:122 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Company:

Fuji Television Network

The beauty of the movie is in the simplicity of its narrative...

First off, I would be remiss if I did not state that due to the absence of a 9.5 this gets a mere 9 out of 10.

The IMDb plot outline given is not very good. The story follows two men, Nango, a prison guard at retirement age, and Migami an ex-con released due to time served with good behavior. These two men have banded together to prove the innocence of a prisoner who has been wrongly detained.

The movie uses the plot as a means to showcase the thoughts and feelings of the two protagonists who in turn are merely vehicles to flesh out certain key themes such as revenge, murder, forgiveness, and absolution. The beauty is that it is all boils down to how everyone reacts to murder, how it affects the victim and the victimizer.

The movie is quiet, with unique choices for ambient music, and often no music at all, scenery is beautiful as it takes largely outside, whereas the indoor scenes have a way of keeping the focus on the characters and their dialog.

Of course the story is more complicated than I have laid out, but it is largely a character driven piece, much more than a mystery. Rarely do you find a movie where each and every character is human and honest. You can relate and sympathize with everyone, for as protagonist Shoji Nango points out, everyone has had the wish to murder someone. The movie is about those who cross the line, and how you aren't bad for making a mistake if only you can find the heart and strength to forgive yourself.

This is a great movie, not much buzz was around this movie, but I did eagerly await it once I heard about it. The acting and direction are top notch, especially on Sorimachi and Yamazaki's part. The pacing issues are negligible, but once you get past the possibly slow start, you are in a for a sheerly amazing film.

Go. Watch.