Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Starring: Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yoko Maki, Riri Furanki, Jun Fubuki, Shogen Hwang, Keita Ninomiya,
Running Time: 121 minutes
Certificate: PG
Koreeda has given us some of the most phenomenal films of the last 20 years. Whether he’s exploring real life situations with the likes of STILL WALKING or NOBODY KNOWS, or if he explores more fantastical stories such as AFTER LIFE or AIR DOLL, he is always grounded and understanding of his subject matter in a very complete way. LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON is his latest film, and this time it fits within the former category. It presents a family who discover their son was switched at birth. As they meet the family and their biological son the question becomes whether parentage and family is in the blood or comes from being brought up.
The entire film is handled with such simplistic maturity that every second of film is absorbing. With the ever excellent Fukuyama in the lead as the hardworking and strict father all about independence and betterment, he contrasts with the laid back Yudai (Furanki). Their differences can be summed up in their involvement during the scenes that take place at a child’s play area. Both father’s have specific and worthwhile ideas on parenting, but Ryota (Fukuyama) starts to experience pangs of jealousy as the boy he has raised nor his biological son, seem to be similar to him in anway.
The film skirts the boundaries of uplifting family drama and tragedy. What if one set of parents is better for both boys? Do the needs of the children outweigh any “right” to said boys. It’s complicated in its emotions and morals, but that is something which Koreeda has always been comfortable with. He welcomes us in and shows the story from all perspectives. Like a wise father himself, he doesn’t judge anybody and rightly keeps the emotions contained throughout. It would have been so easy to slop on some melodrama, or have one of the families be cruel and unkind, or even just give us a happy film where everybody comes together, but that undermine such a serious topic. Baby switching may not a common occurrence, but here it is used to explore parenting as a whole.
Despite the title and focus on fathers, the mothers too get their due, and many may question the irony of each of those points since it’s the mothers who the boys seem to take after. Every scene is purposeful and is captured in glorious cinematography from first timer Mikiya Takimoto. Cute, but never overly sweet, LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON is another brilliant film from a purposeful master of the craft. This is a film that should be watched by all parents, and just anybody in general, as it doesn’t preach but gets you thinking instead. Glorious on every level.
[usr=5]LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON is released on DVD and Blu-ray on May 5th and is already available to download.
