[Fantasia ’22] ‘Confession’ review: South Korean thriller filled with wild twists and turns

Confession sounds like a plot line from one of the prime time soap operas that used to rule the television airwaves. (Even the credits are reminiscent of a television show.) Yoo Min-ho has been accused of murder after the death of his mistress Kim Se-hee. He goes to a remote cabin to escape the press and is met by his new attorney Yang Shin-ae. The two go over the all the details pertinent to the case in order to create an infallible defense. But what is truth, what are lies, and what really matters?

Things move at a quick pace from the very beginning. The audience is dropped right into Yoo being released by the police and meeting his new lawyer. Things never slow down as Confession constantly pushes forward. There are constant twists and revelations that will keep anyone watching wondering what is going to happen next. Even though it does not bring anything new to the genre, it manages to keep being surprising.

The flip side is not everything has the opportunity to sink it as much as it should. Confession moves quickly and it can get easy to become confused by everything that is going on. The film tells much of its story in flashbacks. These are done very well, but there are a lot of them to keep up with. There is also a flashback that includes a interlude within it. Everything is important, so keeping it all together is necessary.

As difficult as it can be to keep the stories straight, the emotional impact of the movie’s revelations are never lost. Writer Yoon Jong-seok has put together a fantastic script that is intriguing and suspenseful. As Confession progresses, the characters develop with the mystery. Yang is calculated and logical while piecing together the facts while there is a determination behind everything Yoo says. The final moments are especially powerful and will have audiences questioning the entire time what is going to happen.

Confession is a straightforward murder mystery that uses careful storytelling. It is a grounded story that sometimes leans into flights of fancy. But even in the most outlandish moments, the film never loses the attention of viewers. The story is too tense to turn away from and the questions are impossible to ignore. This is an easy recommendation for fans of the genre.

Confession is screening at the Fantasia Festival