The Journalist is a thrilling drama film that centers on the investigative efforts of a journalist working for the Touto daily newspaper in uncovering a massive corruption scandal involving high-ranking members of the government. This scandal leads to the loss of countless lives as those who stand against the government’s corrupt plans are silenced. The film portrays how cleverly the government moves and hides the corruption by resorting to manipulative tactics, oppression, and threats to achieve their objectives.
Sinopsis
The film was released in 2019 and falls within the drama and thriller genre. Directed by Michihito Fujii, it features Ryoko Yonekura, Gō Ayano, Ryusei Yokohama, Hidetaka Yoshioka, and Shinobu Terajima in the lead roles.
The story revolves around Ryo Kinoshita, a university student who works part-time as a newspaper delivery boy. While others are still asleep, Ryo and his co-worker Mayu (Ono Karin), deliver newspapers to Touto’s customers. On the other hand, Ana Matsuda (Ryoko Yonekura), a well-known and reliable journalist, is getting ready for work. She is passionate about finding the truth, which makes her an ideal journalist. However, not everyone appreciates her passion, and some even ridicule her for being obsessed with exposing the government’s scandals. Despite this, Ana remains determined to uncover the truth behind Toyoda (Yusuke Santamaria), a corrupt government official who also serves as the Special Advisor to the Cabinet.
In the past, Ana had investigated Toyoda, but the official was immune to all investigations, as both the police and prosecutors couldn’t touch him. Ana, however, doesn’t rest until she uncovers the corruption surrounding Toyoda’s business deals that resulted in millions of yen in the disappearance of funds. It is this tenacity that drives Ana to unearth the corruption scandals within the government, especially those involving Toyoda.
When the Akademi Eishin corruption scandal hits the news, the Prime Minister is forced to act. The opposition also uses the scandal to air their grievances against the government. Toyoda quickly devises a plan to suppress the scandal’s impact by dispatching staff members of the Chubu Financial Bureau to edit documents at the bureau. The bureau’s staff must then delete parts of the documents that highlight the Prime Minister’s involvement and produce new and altered versions of these documents.
Kazuya Suzuki (Hidetaka Yoshioka) is one of those who is tasked to work on the documents. He feels uncomfortable with this assignment, but Kurosaki, his boss, and friend, orders him to do it. Afterward, he works alone on changing all the data from these documents, leading to his suicide when the scandal’s impact became worse. His wife eventually reveals that he was responsible for replacing the documents and sharing his guilt with the public.
In the end, it is clear that the story is not about the corrupt system but those who seek the truth despite the dangers involved. Moreover, the film portrays a storyline that is shocking and realistic, in which an individual’s actions have the power to change or save lives.
Conclusion
The Journalist is an excellent portrayal of how government corruption can destroy many lives in the name of power and control. The film’s amazing cast, coupled with its gripping storyline, makes it a must-watch. The Journalist showcases how a single person’s actions can change the status quo, no matter how daunting the task may seem. The film encourages us to seek the truth and stand up for what is right in the face of danger.
