Yôgisha X no kenshin, (Suspect X) (2008)

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This postmodern mystery-thriller from director Hiroshi Nishitani embodies a big-screen cinematization of the popular Japanese television series Galileo. Shinichi Tsutsumi stars as Ishigami Tetsuya, a brilliant but eccentric mathematician-cum-high school science teacher who develops a crush on the… More This postmodern mystery-thriller from director Hiroshi Nishitani embodies a big-screen cinematization of the popular Japanese television series Galileo. Shinichi Tsutsumi stars as Ishigami Tetsuya, a brilliant but eccentric mathematician-cum-high school science teacher who develops a crush on the fetching Hanaoka Yasuko (Yasuko Matsuyuki), a saleswoman of bentos (or small, wooden lunchboxes unique to Japan). Hanaoka, as it turns out, is something of a criminal. Having successfully murdered a man in tandem with her daughter, she needs a foolproof alibi, and Ishigami draws on his scientific genius to help them construct one. The police are just as determined and resourceful, however, and enlist the support of their own scientist in the murder investigation, the equally brilliant and eccentric physicist Yukawa Manabu - who just happens to be an old classmate of Ishigami's. Thus marks the beginning of an aggressive, unchecked battle of wills between the two scientists to completely outwit one another. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 2 hr. 8 min.
Directed By: Hiroshi Nishitani
Genres: Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Oct 4, 2008 Wide

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Justin Y

Suspect X is a crime drama from Hiroshi Nishitani that stems from a Japanese drama series, Galileo.The story is straightforward with less of a murder investigation path to follow, however it is interesting enough to hold one's… More
Suspect X is a crime drama from Hiroshi Nishitani that stems from a Japanese drama series, Galileo.The story is straightforward with less of a murder investigation path to follow, however it is interesting enough to hold one's interest. The first 10 minutes is supposedly similar to the series as there is a mixture of comedy and science. Soon thereafter, and for the rest of the 2+ hour picture, the film settles down into a typical murder mystery without that much elaboration for the plot. The thing that makes this film interesting is that the detectives play more of a supporting role as the film becomes a battle of two geniuses. One is a math teacher and the other is a physics professor.The pacing is fairly slow, but it isn't a total bore. The ending tends to get overly dramatic and it ends up being one of the less effective parts of the movie.The acting is good. Shin'ichi Tsutsumi and Yasuko Matsuyuki steal the show, while Masaharu Fukuyama and Kazuki Kitamura give decent performances. Kou Shibasaki is also enjoyable to watch.While taking a different approach to a murder mystery, Suspect X finds itself as a unique watch for fans of this genre.