Like Father, Like Son

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Dave S It’s safe to say that no director working today handles family drama as effectively as Japan’s Hirokazu Koreeda. Case in point: Like Father, Like Son. When a workaholic father and devoted mother are advised by the hospital that their 6-year-old only child was switched at birth, their world is understandably rocked, forcing the father to confront his considerable shortcomings as a parent. It feels like one of Koreeda’s most austere films, pared down to the bone, filled with quietly intelligent dialogue, remarkable performances (especially from the children), subtle but effective camerawork, and a restrained but powerful score. On the surface, it’s a movie about nurture vs nature, but it is really about so much more. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/21/25 Full Review Tuğba D I really loved the script yet I am not sure about the actors. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/10/25 Full Review William D Admirably, the movie doesn't serve up easy answers for what would be an excruciating situation for all involved. While the ending won't surprise you it's a very decent dramatic ride to that point. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/21/23 Full Review isla s This was a slightly slow film, plot wise, to start with but I found myself feeling (hopefully understandably?) quite sorry for the affected families (moreso the mothers than the fathers) and interested to see what they would do. Its quite a thought provoking film. I thought the topic was handled quite well, infact it felt a bit like a documentary film at times, more than perhaps a 'full blown drama' film. I liked the music played at the end - it gave it a haunting feel. I would recommend this film, although if you prefer quite high action/'busy' type films, then this one may be a bit slow and not to your liking. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Alvise F Kore-eda adding the improbable, but not unbelievable, element of the children's switching, finds the winning recipe for reinventing himself. The theme dear to the Tokyo director, the contemporary family and its disintegration, here takes on an almost surreal nuance, on which creates the foundations of an interesting social criticism. The class difference and the different way of life of the protagonists are always observed with dignity, maintaining impartiality and leaving the judgment to the audience. As in previous works, we find also the Japanese aesthetics of "mono no aware" (物の哀れ), that enhances the "pathos of things", or rather, the "empathy toward things"; which is revealed, for example, in the first encounter of the two families, when the father and his biological son chew the straw in the same way. After some less successful work, the author realizes a film that is less poetic than the first works but certainly more solid than the recent ones. It seems to have something new to say and we are here to hear it. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/22/22 Full Review Audience Member While I Gather The Premise Has Some Merit, Which Explores Status & Values Placed Upon Children Via Default Of Your Status, The Story Itself Was Pretty Bloody Boring. Basically A Great Idea With A Method Of Delivery That Sucked. I Also Found The Stoic Acting Style In A Lot Of The Scenes A Turn-Off Too. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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