The Crime That Bind (Japanese Movie Review)



8/10

Welcome to the world of Keigo Higashino, one of the Japanese most prolific writers. His books always feature multiple story lines, complicated relationships and heart wrenching drama.  Mostly interested in how and why rather than who, this is an unusual approach to crime mystery writing, but it doesn’t make it any less entertaining. 

The plot of THE CRIMES THAT BIND is practically indescribable, it starts with a decomposed  body of a woman found in an abandoned apartment. A homeless man is burned to death nearby. How are the two incidents connected? Switching between the past and the present and with the help of detective Kaga, whose childhood seems to be deeply entwined with the case, a tragic story of a family that was separated, but never truly lost the sight of one another, is unveiled.

There’s a lot going on in the film, there are many characters, but the story never loses its focus. It is a rare case when the creator (Higashino) throws his favourite detective Kaga into the middle of the action. He is usually pretty detached and just follows the clues. 
The cinematography is fantastic, perfectly capturing Japan’s daily life. And the likeable characters make you invest in the story early on. 

THE CRIMES THAT BIND is a perfect introduction to what detective Kaga’s mysteries are about. Hugely popular in Japan and slowly but steadily conquering the world, this intelligent and dramatic story is worth your time.

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