You know when some directors just hit different? That’s Hirokazu Kore-eda. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter if he speaks a different language linguistically, because the language he speaks spiritually is universal.
Kore-eda’s forte is telling stories about family. Specifically, he crafts his films around an average family who are broken in some way, shape or form. Since seeing his Palme d’Or winning film Shoplifters last year, I just knew I had to watch more of his stuff, because it got me right in the heart. With Like Father, Like Son, Kore-eda follows a rich businessman who suddenly finds out one day that his now six year old son was switched at birth with another child. It is now down to him, his wife, and his biological son’s assigned parents to decide whether or not they should swap the boys over so that they are back with their blood kin.
What a complex, emotional rollercoaster this was. Although I’m sure you’ll have gathered that from the synopsis.
Excuse me whilst I gush over this director once more. Kore-eda writes and directs a story like no other. His films present themselves like a novel every single time and I don’t know how he does it. Everything about the narrative here is once again expertly constructed and put together that it’s impossible to lose interest. If Bong Joon-ho is the definitive Korean director of the 21st century, then Kore-eda is most certainly his Japanese parallel.
Every single shot is picture perfect, every prop in the right place, and the use of symmetry and lines is so nice to look at. A+ for cinematography as usual – it’s actually very much like Shoplifters, which is no bad thing.
To yet further improve an already touching narrative, Like Father, Like Son throws the ideas of Nature vs Nurture and Blood vs Water in the air, whilst intertwining it all with an exploration into social class and the different ways children can be raised in modern day Japan. It’s genuinely wonderful how it’s all presented and it gives you something to think about constantly – there’s not a single ounce of vapidity about it.
Each performance is brilliant, on top of everything else. Particularly, Masaharu Fukuyama plays the most antagonistic character of the bunch, but his performance here is outstanding to the extent where you can almost feel his thoughts through a simple facial expression. (Side note: the delightful Kirin Kiki makes a small cameo too, which is always a delight.)
Truthfully, I did prefer Shoplifters, but only marginally. Like Father, Like Son is an excellent film that only makes me want to see more of Kore-eda’s movies.
And don’t you worry, there’ll be more of them coming here sooner than you may think…
Like Father, Like Son is available to rent on YouTube for £1.99 or on the BFI Player for £3.50.
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