Like Father, Like Son (2013)

"Work hard now, so there is no struggle later" declares a hard-driving and pushy Dad. As if work makes the man. As if it is so simple. Upon discovering his 6-year-old son was switched at birth, the Dad continues to focus on form and not heart. The family taking care of his real son is everything that he is not; fun-loving, adventuresome, and loving of the natural world. He pools his lawyers and his money in order to prove a point, yet the point proved may be his own demise. Though the story might be better developed in places, the theme is compelling and poignant, the actors are believable, and the disparate characters are intriguing. Winner of a Cannes festival jury prize. This film is about the importance of achieving real connections with others.

Fmovies: Like Father, Like Son tells us the story of a young couple and how their lives get altered when they find out that their son, has been swapped at birth. Hirokazu Koreeda directs and writes of this affectionate tale and does so in an excellent way. The film was released in the stacked year of 2013, and quite frankly, I think it's among the best of the year.

Ryota Nanomiya is a successful architect who, while loves his family, spends too much time at work. One day, his wife, Midori, gets a call from the hospital where Keita, their son, was born. Soon they find out that a six-year old mistake caused their child to be swapped at birth with another. This leads Ryota and Midori to start getting more acquainted with the other family involved in this situation. All the while wondering whether they should keep, or re-swap the children.

The script for Like Father, Like Son was absolutely tremendous. The story itself is brilliant and captivating; you can't help but feel absorbed in the lives of everyone involved. This wouldn't be possible without great characters and that's exactly what we got. Ryota is a wonderful character made even better by the phenomenal performance by Masaharu Fukuyama. He isn't the caricature that you might expect him to be. In fact, I felt he was a rather realistic depiction of a loving father who happens to be a bit of a workaholic. On the other hand, Yudai Saiki, the other father affected by the swap, was so different to Ryota, but just as good of a character. The contrast between the two fathers was one of the most fascinating aspects of the film. It bettered both characters, and gave the film an extra layer.

As I mentioned earlier, Masaharu Fukuyama was incredible as Ryota. The subtleties and nuances in his facial expressions were particularly impressive. Rirî Furankî played Yudai, the more easygoing father. I already touched upon how different their characters are, but the quality of their performances are almost identical. They both raised the film to the next level. The mothers were played by Machiko Ono and Yôko Maki. Their portrayals may not be as critical as those of the two male stars, but they were excellent nonetheless. And lastly, the two kids were played by Shôgen Hwang and Keita Ninomiya. I was a bit surprised by their acting talents as I thought they were just as good as the adult actors. We all know that young actors may not always be the best in terms of acting abilities, but these two talented kids proved that they have some acting chops. They were cute, vulnerable, and even scared when needed to be, and they never missed a beat. Brilliant acting across the board.

On top of doing an outstanding job in the writing department, Hirokazu Koreeda also directed the film in a magnificent fashion. Despite the unfortunate incident the families are dealing with, there's a certain feeling of warmth throughout the film, that works greatly with the family within it. This is achieved, in part thanks to the phenomenal music by Shin Yasui.

Koreeda didn't rush with the story and gave us time to connect with the families, which is pivotal for a film like this. The visuals were also quite remarkable, with Mikiya Takimoto working as cinematographer; The scenes by the lake were beautifully shot and had a very serene vibe to it. Koreeda also opted for more movements from the camera in scenes where, a lot of times in other films, the camera would be static. Little details like that is what distinguishes the directing of the film from others, and g

Everyone has an opinion about what constitutes good parenting. Does it boil down to rules and regulations, pushing a child to excel, letting them just enjoy themselves, or the amount of time you spend with them? These issues are on the table in Hirokazu Koreeda's latest child-centered film, Like Father, Like Son, winner of the Jury Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival. Ryoto Nonomiya (Masaharu Fukuyama) is a somewhat aloof architect who works long hours at his job, leaving little time for his six-year-old son Keita (Keita Ninomiya). Ryoto and his wife Midori (Machiko Ono) live in a luxury Tokyo apartment that relatives tell them looks like a hotel.

Keita is comfortable and apparently quite happy, enjoying a close and caring relationship with his mother, even though his father is not always around. Ryoto loves Keita, however, and wants the best for him, pushing him to excel in academics and music, but his character is painted in such broad strokes that he doesn't come across as truly caring. The family's comfortable world is turned upside down, however, when the Nonomiya's receive a phone call from the hospital telling them that Keita is in fact not their biological son, that testing has revealed that two boys were switched at birth, presumably by accident.

Both curious and anxious, Ryoto and Midori make plans to visit their biological son and here Koreeda draws a sharp contrast between the two families. Yudai (Lily Franky), a good-natured, playful storekeeper and his wife Yukari (Yoko Maki), are working class people, living in the rear of a general goods store with their three children, a boy named Ryusei (Shogen Hwang), and his younger brother and sister. Although tongue in cheek, Yudai tells his wife that his philosophy of life is "I always say, put off to tomorrow, what ever you can." When the mistake of the hospital is realized, the shocked families must decide how (and if) they are going to exchange sons.

The upper class Ryoto says that it "now makes sense" why his son Keita is not talented and ambitious like himself, a statement that is very hurtful to Midori. His desire is to continue the bloodline, urged also by his own father who suggests that he should make every effort to raise both boys. While this may sound good in theory, when Ryoto raises the possibility with Yudai and Yukari, the reaction is one of deep insult and Ryoto has to go to Plan B. While awaiting a financial settlement from the hospital, the two families agree to let the boys come for a visit to gradually get to know their real parents, at first for one day, then later on the weekends.

Awkwardly, Ryoto tells Ryu to call them father and mother, reserving daddy and mommy for Yudai and Yukari, the only parents he has truly known. Friction begins to develop between the parents when Yudai let's Ryoto know that he should spend more time with his son. Though both children adjust, Ryu expresses a longing to return to daddy and mommy. Ryoto wants the exchange of children to work out but Midori misses Keita and reacts with anger when she perceives that her husband blames her for what has happened. The exchange of the boys becomes a catalyst for Ryoto to look at his life and see what has been missing in his approach to parenting and he has the courage to make changes.

Like Father, Like Son is a riveting experience that once again demonstrates that the performances Koreeda can elicit from children are little short of amazing. Like Father, Like Son can meander, has some formulaic

Like Father, Like Son fmovies. I won't describe the plot as it has been done already. What was moving to me it was the way that Keitan feelings were hurt by the expectations, lack of attention and coldness of his 'father'. He makes him feel not good enough and a disposable good that can be exchangeable and has no right to express its feelings. He goes as far as to request the child to avoid all contact with them.

He reconsiders his posture after-wards and what it seems to have disgraced both families comes across as an important opportunity to reconsider one's views in life and one's priorities.

Very recommendable movie.

Hirokazu Koreeda's Like Father, Like Son is a very emotional movie. One that made me feel for its characters. The film is full of great performances, an interesting soundtrack, and a plot that is easy to understand.

Set in Japan Like Father, Like Son tells the story of Ryota Nonomiya, a successful businessman, who is driven by money more than anything else. Ryota is married to Midori, and has a son named Keita. When Ryota and Midori visit the hospital after receiving a call from them, they learn that Keita is not their biological son. Ryota is forced to choose between keeping the child, or doing the right thing and giving him back to his biological parents. Things are especially complicated for Ryota as Midori is still devoted to Keita, even after learning his true origins.

Like Father, Like Son is a very touching film. It is helped by the performances of the actors. Masaharu Fukuyama gives a very "tame" performance as Ryota. When he learns that his son is not his real child, he doesn't explode. Instead, he keeps his cool, and tries to make the best of it. His performances are especially helped by the script, as on only a few occasions it seems to require him to be truly "emotional". Maciko Ono, who plays his wife, Midori, also gives a very strong performance. Unlike most mothers, she doesn't break down at once after learning that her son isn't actually her biological son. Instead, she considers the possibilities of what might happen to him. These actors along with the rest of the cast are helped by writer and director, Hirokazu Koreeda's script, which is very strong.

One of the most fascinating elements about Like Father, Like Son is that this film is mostly devoid of any real soundtrack. The only bit of music throughout the film is that of a piano. The use of a piano in the film is clearly an attempt to make some of the most emotional scenes in the film, really emotional. Their son, Keita, played piano, and there is even a scene where he does a piano recital. The constant use of piano music is clearly supposed to link the relationship between the mother and father and their "son". For example, one fifteen second scene features Ryota and Midori driving to go see Keita. In this scene, there is no talking, just a shot of the car outside and piano music playing in the background. The piano music feels very haunting in this way, and as a result, the scene becomes emotional.

Although I have had minimal exposure to Japanese culture, I can clearly see that these two characters are real, and not stereotypes of Japanese people. Ryota, for example, clearly goes through a change in character, as he becomes less concerned with money and more concerned about his son. There is real emotion and charm to be found in this movie, and the way director Koreeda guides the family, helps a lot. Like Father, Like Son is a wonderful film, and one that many can relate to.

We have seen many films delve on the topic of babies being switched at birth. Most of these, the story would revolve around the fortune of the kids. "Like Father, Like Son" is about the parents, particularly the fathers.

Ryoko and Midori Nonomiya are a well-to-do couple who had a sweet 6-year old son, Keita. Yukari and Yudai Saiki are a lower middle-class couple with a spirited 6-year old son, Ryusei. One day, they get news that a nurse had switched their sons with each another one at the hospital. With that shocking revelation, both families undergo an emotional ordeal in deciding how to settle their big problem in the best possible way for everyone concerned.

Writer-director Hirokazu Koreeda decides to tell the story from the point of view of Ryoko, a driven man at work who was disappointed that his son Keita was not as competitive nor independent as he wanted. When he gets the chance to be father to Ryusei as well, Ryoko discovers that his concept of fatherhood might not be as ideal as he thought.

Koreeda sets the contrasting dichotomy a bit too sharply. The Nonomiya home is sedate, quiet, and darkly lit. The Saiki home is messy, noisy and brightly lit. Ryoko (Masaharu Fukuyama)is handsome and smartly- dressed, but he is serious and haughty. Yukari (Riri Furanki) is homely and shoddily-dressed, but he is cheerful and kind. Which kind of father do you think the boys will prefer?

The important message of this film will definitely resonate with all fathers who watch this film. Fathers will reflect on their own parenting style and on what kind of father he had been. This film deserves all the praise heaped upon it. It is about time fatherhood is discussed very well in a film.