Sheep Without a Shepherd 2021

In the midst of a tranquil northern Thai landscape, Internet technician Li Weijie (character name not provided) and his family - wife Ayu, and daughters Ping Ping and An An - go about their daily lives, blissfully unaware of the darkness that is lurking beneath the surface. The idyllic facade is shattered when Su Cha, the son of influential mayor Du Peng and police chief La Wen, sexually assaults Ping Ping at a summer camp, leaving an indelible mark on the young girl’s life.

As Su Cha’s malevolent grip tightens around Ping Ping, he uses his privileged position to blackmail her into submission. The family’s world is turned upside down when Ayu confronts Su Cha on their property, only to be brutally assaulted by him. In a moment of desperation and fear, Ping Ping accidentally kills Su Cha, prompting her and Ayu to hastily bury the body in the grave of Weijie’s uncle at a local cemetery. Unbeknownst to them, An An has witnessed the events unfold.

Weijie is informed of the murder and sets out to protect his family from the prying eyes of the law. He discreetly disposes of key evidence, including Su Cha’s car and mobile phone, and establishes an alibi for his family by orchestrating a spontaneous weekend getaway to Hua Lamphong, a nearby area. Weijie meticulously collects physical evidence such as bus tickets and invoices, seeking to strengthen the credibility of their alibi. He also trains his family on how to navigate police interrogations with ease.

As the investigation unfolds, local police officer Sang Kun, who harbors a grudge against Weijie, inadvertently sets the wheels in motion when he spots him driving Su Cha’s car while it was being disposed of. Initially met with skepticism due to Sang Kun’s reputation for misbehavior, his testimony eventually raises La Wen’s suspicions towards Weijie, which are further reinforced after Weijie reacts negatively upon learning about the discovery of the car in a lake. Despite intensive interrogations involving Weijie, his family, and relevant witnesses, La Wen is unable to successfully discredit Weijie’s carefully constructed alibi.

A breakthrough arrives when Sang Kun reveals Weijie’s fascination with crime films. La Wen seizes this opportunity to search Weijie’s shop, uncovering a list of recent films he has watched. Through this discovery, she uncovers Weijie’s clever manipulation of key witnesses, including restaurant owner Song En, and alteration of digital evidence, utilizing his position as an internet technician to his advantage.

As La Wen’s (character name) conviction in Weije’s guilt reaches a fever pitch, her determination turns to desperation as she becomes trapped by the lack of concrete evidence. In a bid to break the impasse, she resorts to ruthless tactics, subjecting her own family to brutal coercion in an attempt to extract a confession from An An, the youngest and most susceptible member of Weijie’s household. The tactic backfires spectacularly when La Wen’s machinations lead the authorities to exhume Su Cha’s grave, only to reveal the mangled corpse of a goat that had met its demise at the hands of Sang Kun during a previous confrontation with Weijie.

The local population, already sympathetic to Weijie’s plight, erupts into chaos and outrage, convinced of his family’s innocence. The consequences of La Wen’s actions prove catastrophic as she is indefinitely suspended from her position over allegations of police corruption, while Du Peng, the mayor, is forced to resign in shame. In a stunning reversal, Weijie and his family are publicly exonerated, their reputations restored.

Yet, weighed down by the weight of his own guilt, Weijie confesses to La Wen and Du Peng about his involvement in Su Cha’s demise. The implications are stark: he is sentenced to prison, his life forever changed. Meanwhile, whispers persist that Su Cha’s actual remains were relocated from their original grave to a construction site where Weijie had been employed, leaving behind only the faintest hint of the truth.