Review of Shoplifters (2018) by Manicure — 25 Nov 2020

I tend to dislike most films about poverty and inequality, but “Shoplifters” managed to be reasonably entertaining without overdoing in sentimentality. We are first introduced to the perfect dysfunctional family, but as the film goes on, we find out that the situation is way more complicated than we imagined.

This is not Koreeda’s first film to question the value of blood ties in making a family, but this time he seems more neutral towards his characters. There are dozens of tender moments to point out the authenticity of their bonds, but at the same time, we are continuously made aware that we are still talking about dishonest, self-centered people.

Japanese films of this kind tend to be spoiled cheesy and melodramatic acting, but the performances are surprisingly solid here, almost natural.