NYFF at 51 Review: Like Father, Like Son

BY LIZ WHITTEMORE

THE 51ST NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL, RUNNING FROM SEPTEMBER 27TH - OCTOBER 13TH, IS BEING COVERED THIS YEAR BY OUR CONTRIBUTORS MATEO MORENO, LIZ WHITTEMORE, AND CODY LANG

Fathering a child is easy, but being a Dad is a whole other story. In the Sundance Select film, Like Father, Like Son, two families are challenged to come to a solution to a problem they were not expecting to ever face. One father, in particular, must face himself before he can face his own family.  Ryota (Masaharu Fukuyama) is a businessman who believes that hard work will ultimately get you “the win” in life. The story begins during an interview with his wife (Machiko Ono) and 6 year old son, Keita, and what must be a very elite private school. Keita has been well groomed for his trial at the school, answering emotional questions and being observed in art and movement. Ryota runs his household in the same manner as his job. He is strict but not harsh. He works long hours 7 days a week, while his wife, Midorino, is happy to raise Keita all by herself. Ryota seems to have trouble relating to his son when he is not an immediate success at small tasks, such as piano lessons. Midorino appears to be the traditional submissive Japanese wife, yet their relationship flows with a comfortable elegance.  

Soon, they receive a phone call from the hospital where Keita was born. It seems that two babies were switched just after their births. With DNA testing, it is determined definitively that Keita is not their biological son. We are then introduced to the Saiki family; the other victims of this mistake.  At first glance, Yukari (Yoko Maki) and Yudai (Lily Franky) appear to be more interested in the settlement money than figuring out what is best for the two boys. The two families decided the best way to figure out this whole mess is to begin by having Saturday night sleepovers. Each family will swap their son for the night so they can begin to get familiar with one another. It’s a slow, uphill battle particularly for Ryota. He realizes that having monetary means and a rigid life does not necessarily lend well to nurturing a child. While the Saiki family live in a cramped house above Yudai’s shop, we quickly learn they give all their time to their children. They eat dinner, fly kites and even bathe together. Ryota struggles to understand how this family dynamic would be any better than his, partly by confronting his lack of a relationship with his own father. The choice is not as clear as one might think. Do you keep the child you’ve raised? Do you embrace the child that has your blood? 

All four lead performances are brilliant. Masaharu Fukuyama has a strong presence and he finds truth in this unusual situation moment by moment. Machiko Ono has such grace and honesty. She and Yoko Maki play beautifully off each other; communicating in only a way one mother can to another. Lily Franky is a bumbling yet lovable man. He has such a delicate touch with the children in the film, you can see the joy his children bring him.  Taking on the hat trick of writing, directing, and editing is Hirokazu Kore-eda. He has masterfully woven a tale of blood versus love. When there is little dialogue, he does an incredible job highlighting the visual differences between the two families, skyscrapers and city lights for one, country landscapes and small living quarters for the other. The film unfolds roughly over a year. Much of the time we are a party to the travel between the city and the country. We ride on trains and in the front seats of the car past power lines and fields. Kore-eda takes us on a literal journey with both families. He explains that the story comes from a very personal place in which he is still discovering what it means to be a father to his now 5 year old daughter.This film is a gorgeous tale of self discovery and has already been recognized by The Jury Prize at 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

VERDICT: Must See

Written and Directed by: Hirokazu Kore-eda Starring:  Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yoko Maki, Lily Franky Country: Japan Language: Japanese with English Subtitles

BOTTOM LINE: Intriguing story of family dynamics and absolutely culturally transcendent. Like Father, Like Son is a family movie no matter how you were raised. Go with loved ones.