Like Father, Like Son

Soshite chichi ni naru

L

Genre

Drama

Director

Kore-eda Hirokazu

Run time

2h 0min

Cast

Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yoko Maki, Lily Franky

Ryota Nonomiya, an thirty-something architect lives his dream. A well developing career in an architecture firm, a loving wife tolerating his late night home arrivals, and six-year-old son Keita, who steals everyone’s hearts at elementary exams with his story how his enjoys making and flying kites with his dad. However, suddenly the spotless life of Nonomiya’s starts to increasingly crack. The kite story is just a half truth to please the teachers, and actually Ryota only really cares about his work and career. And to prepare for success in life is never too early, even if it involves his own son.

But the ultimate collapse comes with the blood test required to enter elementary – Keita is not their son, but actually a same-age offspring of the simple Saiki family running an electricity store, who has been accidentally swapped for Nonomiya’s baby at the hospital. To follow the recommendation of the hospital and their parents, the two families ought to switch the boys, but what is thicker, blood or water?

The great humanist and the master of both commercial and artistic in Japanese cinema, Hirokazu Kore-eda once again delivers a heartwarming drama on the ageless theme of becoming and growing to a parent. Even more, "Like Father, Like the Son" underlines and explores these small moments that truly make the lives of the oldest and youngest worth of living.

Sten Saluveer / PÖFF

Japan 2013

Genre

Drama

Director

Kore-eda Hirokazu

Run time

2h 0min

Cast

Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yoko Maki, Lily Franky

Ryota Nonomiya, an thirty-something architect lives his dream. A well developing career in an architecture firm, a loving wife tolerating his late night home arrivals, and six-year-old son Keita, who steals everyone’s hearts at elementary exams with his story how his enjoys making and flying kites with his dad. However, suddenly the spotless life of Nonomiya’s starts to increasingly crack. The kite story is just a half truth to please the teachers, and actually Ryota only really cares about his work and career. And to prepare for success in life is never too early, even if it involves his own son.

But the ultimate collapse comes with the blood test required to enter elementary – Keita is not their son, but actually a same-age offspring of the simple Saiki family running an electricity store, who has been accidentally swapped for Nonomiya’s baby at the hospital. To follow the recommendation of the hospital and their parents, the two families ought to switch the boys, but what is thicker, blood or water?

The great humanist and the master of both commercial and artistic in Japanese cinema, Hirokazu Kore-eda once again delivers a heartwarming drama on the ageless theme of becoming and growing to a parent. Even more, "Like Father, Like the Son" underlines and explores these small moments that truly make the lives of the oldest and youngest worth of living.

Sten Saluveer / PÖFF

Japan 2013

Info

Rating

For All Audiences

Production year

2013

Global distributor

-

Local distributor

Pimedate Ööde Filmifestival MTÜ

In cinema

11/24/2013