Shoplifters
Non-traditional family relationships are a staple in master humanist Hirokazu Kore-eda’s oeuvre —often with an emphasis on a conflicted or absent father figure. For his Palme d’Or-winning new film he focuses on a makeshift household comprised of dubious individuals making a living through illicit means. Writing living, breathing characters is one of the Japanese moviemaker’s super powers, as each of them exists on the screen as a complicated person with layered flaws and redemptive qualities. Like in many of his previous dramas, a young boy and his male role model are confronted with their mutual need for understanding.
Share: