***1/2 out of ****
Rated R
(for some sexual content and nudity)
Released: November 23, 2018 NY/LA; expands December 28
Runtime: 121 minutes
Directed by: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Starring: Lily Franky, Sakura Andô, Mayu Matsuoka, Jyo Kairi, Miyu Sasaki, Kirin Kiki
My review of Shoplifters, for The Tulsa Voice. From acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, it won the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
It’s the story of a working-poor family in Tokyo that shoplifts necessities in order to get by. They are forced to confront the moral compromises of their lifestyle — and the very nature of their family itself — when they take in a 7-year-old homeless girl off the streets.
A review excerpt:
“Along with [their] guilt comes an existential question: When everything is a grift, how real and authentic are your closest relationships—even in your family? Kore-eda and his superb cast explore these struggles—from daily life to those of the conscience—with a powerful naturalism and profound empathy. As the nature of this family reveals itself, the film’s pathos expands.”
To read my full review, click here.