55
Metascore
7 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75Washington PostMark JenkinsWashington PostMark JenkinsThe Attorney can be melodramatic, and first-time feature director Yang Woo-seok is not yet a singular filmmaker. But the movie is carried by its rousing pro- democracy message and a lively performance from the versatile leading man.
- 70The DissolveNick SchagerThe DissolveNick SchagerAn inspired-by-real-events drama that finds honor, decency, and sacrifice in the legal profession, The Attorney is a rousing old-Hollywood tale of one man risking everything for a just cause.
- 70VarietyJoe LeydonVarietyJoe LeydonThe pacing gradually accelerates after a leisurely first act, so that The Attorney easily sustains interest, and often stirs emotions.
- 50The PlaylistKevin JagernauthThe PlaylistKevin JagernauthThe narrative may hit all the markers, but its transparent attempts to wring emotion fail to move.
- 50The New York TimesNicolas RapoldThe New York TimesNicolas RapoldMr. Song puts his usual big heart into the character, though there aren’t many layers or nuances to the drama. Every scene does its job, tears flowing on cue.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckThe Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckDespite its shameless manipulations and unsubtle approach, it’s an ambitious and well-intentioned feature debut from a director whose future efforts bear attention.
- 40Los Angeles TimesInkoo KangLos Angeles TimesInkoo KangThe Attorney is on the side of justice, but it's a ham-fisted dramatization of real-life events that mistakes anger for persuasion.