Shoplifters is a 2018 Japanese language film directed, written, and edited by the amazing Hirokazu Kore-eda. The movie tells the story of a found family that relies on shoplifting to survive a life of poverty.
One thing I love the most about Shoplifters is how it focuses on found families. This family is built on the smallest moments that strengthen their bond to one another. This story that Kore-eda tells us is something that truly came from deep within his bones. This unique experience caused this film to gain critical acclaim for exploring complex themes. The story Kore-eda tells is clearly resonant with anyone who understands the struggle of being in the lower social class. The film received critical acclaim and was a commercial success. It won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 and received numerous other awards and nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
Shoplifters explores the complex themes of found family living on society’s edge
I admire the powerful portrayal we see in this film, especially in the last 25 minutes, which completely destroyed me, but I don’t want to get into that. Shoplifters explores the complex themes of a found family living on society’s edge. This story has a true emotional impact, and I felt this impact deeply in my spirit.
Seriously, don’t watch this movie if you are not ready to start crying about the moral complexities of surviving in a terrible economy that does not help you in any way. Considering how many young people are struggling to find a job right now, I feel like many of them will be able to relate to this deeply. The movie also emphasizes the point of finding joy amid troubled circumstances. It also rings so true in my heart how it can be so expensive to live that you want to turn to a life of crime.
A real depiction of poverty in Shoplifters
There is a very real depiction of poverty in Shoplifters, and the actors do an amazing job portraying the lengths these characters will go to make ends meet. I don’t say this about more movies, but the story is perfect as well as the directing. It takes a steady hand, and someone with a clear vision to bring a masterpiece like this to the screen, and Kore-eda does it spectacularly.
The score is lovely, and the beach scene is my favorite because you always need a happy scene interposed in an otherwise heartbreaking film to give the characters a bit of reprieve before leaving them in shambles. Another wonderful thing about the beach scene is that it puts on the performance of a real family. And that’s what makes this movie so beautiful. Even though these people are not bound by blood, they still have deep emotional connections that motivate them to look out for one another.
The thing I love most about this movie is that it takes its time. Movies that go at their own pace and only want to draw you into the story are so rich in their picture. They are painting a picture for you to see and remark on. And that is very easy to do since the cinematography, camera work, and acting lend so graciously to this film that you can’t help but be immersed in this story. It starts with a father and his son doing petty theft and then picking up a neglected child. They give her a warm meal on a cold night, and soon, the family grows. You can’t help but want them to stay together and somehow get a stroke of luck somehow.
Shoplifters balances humanity and unease
But Shoplifters is not that kind of movie. I love seeing the characters because, in every scene, there is a balance between humanity and unease in their lives. Although the film’s central point is nothing new, the film is clearly passionate about the people this story is about. We get to know them intimately, we see the layers in each person, we see them express their love for one another, and we are drawn into a magnificent story.
If you are looking for a movie that will crush you under a wave of emotion and then wrap you up in the warm embrace of acceptance, watch this film. Not enough can be said about the mastery of every single actor on screen, especially Sakura Ando. I’ve always had a deep appreciation for Kore-eda’s films. Very few filmmakers can make a movie that draws you into these people’s secret world that is both wholesome, terrifying, heart-wrenching, and remarkable. Not many people can create something as impactful and underrated as this story, yet Kore-eda does it every single time. Shoplifters reveals the depths of connection, and it feels like a gift to lonely people and everyone who makes you feel seen and loved.
Shoplifters is now streaming.
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