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Like Father, Like Son
そして父になる
2013 120 min Japan G 0+
★7.8
Drama
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Trailers
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Teaser
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Description
Ryota Nonomiya is a successful businessman driven by money. He learns that his biological son was switched with another child after birth. He must make a life-changing decision and choose his true son or the boy he raised as his own.
US Gross:
$334,616
Worldwide:
$19.98M
Starring
Masaharu Fukuyama
Actor
Machiko Ono
Actor
Yôko Maki
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2013
— Ecumenical Jury Prize – Special Mention
Cannes Film Festival 2013
— Jury Prize
San Sebastián International Film Festival 2013
— Audience Award Waki.TV
Cannes Film Festival 2013
— Jury Prize
Asian Film Academy 2014
— Best Director
Asian Film Academy 2014
— Best Debut
San Sebastián International Film Festival 2013
— Audience Award Waki.TV
Key opinion
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s drama offers a nuanced, philosophically rich examination of the tension between biological lineage and the bonds formed through upbringing. While some viewers find the restrained, minimalist emotional delivery challenging, most praise the film's refusal to rely on cheap melodrama in favor of a thoughtful, unresolved look at parenthood.
| Direction | Kore-eda’s direction eschews melodrama, utilizing a minimalist, observational style that favors subtle emotional beats over high-intensity scenes. | |
| Theme | The film delivers a profound, thought-provoking exploration of the "nature vs. nurture" debate without providing a simple, definitive resolution. | |
| Acting | The performances, particularly from the child actors, are frequently cited as organic, believable, and essential to the film's impact. | |
| Pacing | The film's deliberate, contemplative tempo rewards attentive viewers, though some find the pacing and restrained emotional expression to be cold or underwhelming. |