Free Chol Soo Lee

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1:59

Free Chol Soo Lee

2022

1h 23m

Documentary

History

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

42 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In 1970s San Francisco, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is racially profiled and convicted of a Chinatown gang murder. After spending years fighting to survive, investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting an unprecedented social justice movement.

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Critics Consensus

Free Chol Soo Lee powerfully relates a story of injustice while issuing a searing indictment of the systemic racism that enabled it.

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

Aug 25, 2022

In its clear-eyed empathy for the totality of life, “Free Chol Soo Lee” is only deepened by not ignoring what happens when the spotlight fades on a righted wrong...

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K. Austin Collins

Rolling Stone

Aug 22, 2022

There’s an entire history of political representation to confront here, in other words, and even when Free Chol Soo Lee doesn’t seem to be taking this problem on in a direct way, the movie’s self-aware deviations from the norm are pronounced.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Aug 21, 2022

4/5

[An] impressive and wrenchingly sad documentary...

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R. Colin Tait

The Playlist

Dec 17, 2022

B+

What “Free Chol Soo Lee” lacks in terms of earlier material, it more than compensates for in revealing this underseen historical movement.

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Diego Batlle

Otroscines.com

Oct 4, 2022

4/5

Beyond the conscientious and dogmatic spirit, Free Chol Soo Lee is a sociopolitical documentary that digs into yesterday to find the footprints that still have an effect today. [Full review in Spanish]

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Glenn Dunks

The Film Experience

Sep 27, 2022

[Ha and Yi] instead tell their story with sober details, having amassed fascinating archival footage of the man, his family and the media storm that surrounded him.

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Sean

Aug 28, 2022

Very powerful and important story

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Johnny

Sep 9, 2022

Fascinating account of our messed up justice system taking 10 years of an innocent man's life. Asian Americans have been discriminated against in so many ways, including within the justice system.

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Aug 12, 2022

The greatest 01 hour: and 23 minutes ever of real footage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Julie Ha

Director

Eugene Yi

Director

Sebastian Yoon

Narrator

K.W. Lee

Self

Julie Ha

Producer

Sona Jo

Producer

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Synopsis

In 1970s San Francisco, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is racially profiled and convicted of a Chinatown gang murder. After spending years fighting to survive, investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting an unprecedented social justice movement.

Director: Julie Ha, Eugene Yi
Producer: Julie Ha, Sona Jo, Su Kim, Jean Tsien, Eugene Yi
Distributor: MUBI
Production Co: XTR
Genre: Documentary, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 12, 2022, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $50.1K
Runtime: 1h 23m

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