Shoplifters (2018)
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Shoplifters Movie Review
Shoplifters is a 2018 Japanese drama film directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda and starring Lily Franky and Sakura Ando. It’s the second best film of 2018.
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“Sometimes it’s better to choose your own family.“
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It follows a family of shoplifters. They live in extreme poverty and have to steal in order to survive. Eventually, we come to the realization that they are all not connected biologically which raises some thought-provoking questions in the process. I personally deeply connect with the themes of family, what it means to be a family and the questions of biological and adopted parenthood. This movie is a highly intelligent, wonderful examination of a family and a deconstruction of the traditional views most have on what is considered a true family.
It is about poverty, yes. And that issue is becoming more problematic in recent years when it comes to Japan. But it’s also much more than that. It’s a wonderful tale of motherhood and fatherhood and the urges for the two, it’s also about adoption and most importantly it showcases how in such terrible living conditions those two kids found true love and true family which is something that their much richer, abusive parents just never gave them.
Now let’s talk about the movie itself and by that I mean the story and its approach. The first half is simply one beautiful slice-of-life story and a great example of how potent that Japanese genre can truly be when done right. It portrays probably cinema’s best family in history. Owing to tremendous character development, I felt as if I had just met this family in real life, and not just as a group, but individually as well.
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We follow the regular life details that we all share – eating, showering, chatting, watching the fireworks, strolling etc. And that sounds maybe boring, but the film is actually gripping throughout its rather long runtime. That’s because it actually managed to convey real life which is rare even for the best dramas out there. Everything in the movie is extremely grounded in reality and still cinematic without acting to its detriment. It was a perfect mix of the two.
And because those smaller moments are all imbued with emotional touches which are rather subdued and simply wonderful, I wasn’t manipulated as its emotion was genuinely earned. And yes, it actually made me cry. Some of the earlier scenes almost made me cry, but the ending had me sobbing in tears. The second half, particularly the third act becomes a strong social drama and more heartbreaking than heartwarming which the movie was previously, but that all worked as did that conflict as it led to such a touching finale that was unforgettable.
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So this family is wonderful and a true family no matter what the authorities would say. Osamu is such a kind soul and one of the most endearing members of the family. His urge to be a father and to have a close family was so touching and he genuinely was a terrific father for the most part. His relationship with Shota is so wonderful, subtly done and their progress is so emotional to follow through. The kid’s got a great, powerful story to himself and a very complex situation arose with him, one where there are no easy answers.
Nobuyo is just as likable and such an immensely sweet person easy to identify with and easy to love. Her quest for motherhood was beautifully conveyed as well and her relationship with Yuri is beyond beautiful. She just might be the breadwinner of the family and the most important for them all. Yuri is such a sweet kid who is adorable in so many of her scenes.
The movie is terrific for showcasing all of their relationships between one another so we also get the wonderful growing sibling relationship between the two kids as well as one extremely potent romance between the two adults who share one of the best scenes in the movie which is the sex scene. That scene was immensely relatable, important, humanist and beautiful in every way.
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Aki is also very well portrayed and her job is showcased so sensitively. The others all serve their purpose, but the highlight is easily grandma who is the comic relief in the movie as she made me laugh so many times with the highlight being the scene where she counted the money. So funny and so grounded in reality. The acting is also phenomenal across the board with Kirin Kiki delivering a great performance which is unfortunately her last. Lily Franky is also great, but the standout is easily Sakura Ando who absolutely killed it in such a deep, powerful role.
Shoplifters is a technically impressive movie too. The direction from Hirokazu Kore-eda is visionary as he’s a master storyteller with an impressive array of details and such a confident directorial hand. The pacing is perfect as the film is admirably involving in each and every scene. None of the scenes are rushed or a waste. The cinematography is also striking and the settings are so well conveyed. The score’s moving and the humor is absolutely terrific. They managed to find the funny in the ordinary which is so commendable. The done is deftly dealt with, the script is fantastic and the dialogue is naturally highly realistic as are the family’s crude facial expressions and moves. It’s definitely a Japanese classic for the future and I am so happy that they are finally back in Oscar contention and in live-action mode.
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Shoplifters signals the return to quality, important live-action work from Japan. This is a beautiful slice-of-life story that examines and deconstructs the term family by giving us the best cinematic family in the history of film. I felt as if I just met this family both as a group and individually owing to impressive character development and attention to detail. The acting is fantastic, all of their relationships are wonderfully conveyed and the film finds the beautiful and the funny in the ordinary. It’s a long movie that is engaging throughout and filled with memorable, all very subtle, nuanced scenes. It’s an admirably naturalistic, humanistic and deeply touching film that is one of the rare movies that actually moved me to tears in its heartbreaking ending.
