Like Father, Like Son (2013)

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda

Stars: Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yôko Maki
Runtime: 121 minutes

Synopsis: Ryota is a successful workaholic businessman. When he learns that his biological son was switched with another boy after birth, he faces the difficult decision to choose his true son or the boy he and his wife have raised as their own.

Performances: 9/10
Screenplay: 8/10
Editing: 7/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10

Verdict: What if, 6 years after being blessed with your first child, you received a call from the hospital telling you that there has been a mistake and that your child was actually another couple's offspring? And what if you were given the chance to discuss with that other couple what should be done? Would you abide by nature's law and switch the children to raise your own blood, or keep things as they are, and continue what you have been building for the past 6 years? And if the latter option was adopted, would you still love that child as if it was your own?

These questions are heavy, but you can count on Hirokazu Koreeda to tackle them in a thoughtful and grounded manner. The choice to make the two couples ones with vastly different lifestyles and ideologies added so much more weight to the conundrum and question of what makes a good parent. The characters, thanks to all-round great performances paired with a meticulously written script, all feel fleshed out as they wrestle with their own demons and slowly but surely learn from that peculiar situation, and that's what makes it such an interesting watch because you understand both sides of the dilemma, which keeps you wondering what you would do if you were in their shoes.

If you've seen Koreeda's "Shoplifters" last year and like me, were impressed by it, I highly recommend following it with "Like Father, Like Son" despite its slightly cheesy final act. Themes of parenthood seem to be of interest to him, and when it comes to including them in fascinating and thought-provoking narratives carried by three-dimensional characters, he's definitely the person to turn to.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10