Film Review: Soshite chichi ni naru (Like Father, Like Son, Hirokazu Koreeda, 2013, Japan)

The tradition in Japanese cinema of capturing family life, á la Ozu, has been carried on beautifully in Hirokazu Koreeda’s recent works, such as Aruitemo aruitemo (Still Walking, 2008) and Kiseki (I Wish, 2011). Soshite chichi ni naru is no exception as we are treated to a compelling and flawless portrait of contemporary family life in Japan. The film tells the story of the lives of two starkly different families whose worlds are flipped upside down upon learning that their 6 year old sons were switched at birth.

At many points during the film, the beautifully composed choreography tells the story, such as the opening shot of the Nonomiya’s, which exposes the familial dynamics: Ryota Nonomiya, an architect who works long hours, providing his wife and son with a comfortable home and lifestyle, but little love and affection, sits in a dominating pose with hands clenched in fists on his knees; Midori Nonomiya, quietly exasperated by Ryota’s unyielding attempts at instilling in their son a sense of determination sits quietly and passively with her feet and hands gently folded and a serene expression on her face; and, sitting between them anxiously trying to emulate his father’s confidence, is their son Keita.

Ryota has feelings of frustration towards his family and their inability to live up to his high standards of hard work. He fails to separate his identity at work from his identity at home, and therefore finds it hard to connect in a genuine way with his loved ones. By contrast, in the opening scenes we see the unconditional love that Midori and Keita feel for each other, and for Ryota, in the subtle ways they communicate with each other and welcome Ryota home from work.

The quiet and rigid orderliness of their lives is soon disrupted when they are informed of the switch (which they later find out was an intentional act of resentment, on behalf of a young nurse feeling unloved by her stepchildren and jealous of the Nonomiya’s seemingly perfect family). They suddenly have another family, including their biological son, thrust into their lives.

The Saiki’s are everything the Nonomiya’s aren’t – working class and clumsy in social skills, but happy, loving and kind; they bathe and sleep together as a family, and provide their children with no shortage of affection.

Ryota immediately moves to take charge of the situation, hiring an old school friend as a lawyer and pondering his choices; taking advice from his boss and father (a cold and unloving man, depicted succinctly by the late Isao Natsuyagi in his last performance); and assuming the Saiki’s are incapable and not to be trusted with making decisions. He even deeply insults them at one point, after an ill-advised half joke from his boss that he raises both boys prompts him to offer them a large sum of money for Ryusei. Despite this near collapse of their communications, the families resume an uneasy relationship, as they attempt to navigate themselves through this difficult situation, whilst protecting the two boys as much as possible.

In the following weeks, we see Ryota’s struggle to make sense of his lack of connection with his non-biological son Keita, and to regain control of the situation by getting close to Ryusei. Even his work suffers, though not through his inability to focus, but rather his bosses disapproval of Ryota’s decision to unfeelingly switch back the boys.

Midori’s struggle is also highlighted in the film, from the moment she notices Ryota teaching Ryusei how to use chopsticks and realizes his intentions, to her quiet desperation on seeing her previously calm and peaceful home disrupted by her husband’s selfish choices. At one point she makes a heartbreaking suggestion to Keita that they run away, and continues to conduct secret telephone conversations with Keita after a trial switch, hiding this and her blossoming friendship with Yukari Saiki from her disapproving husband.

Quality performances are delivered throughout the film, and Midori and Keita’s tender relationship is a joy to watch. Keita Ninomiya, the actor who plays Keita, delivers brilliantly in general, from the first scene where he nervously attends an interview for a private elementary school; to the quietly heart-shattering moment when his father Ryota tells him that yes, his new mummy and daddy love him more than he does; to the final scene where he initially rebuffs Ryota’s attempts at redemption and is reluctant to forgive all the hurt he has experienced.

The difference between blood ties and non-biological relationships threads throughout. All those around Ryota are able to transcend the lack of blood relationship; from his brother who unquestioningly accepts their father’s second wife as their mother; the Saiki’s who show great and unwavering love for both the little boys; and his wife, who loves Keita regardless of his true relationship to them and fails to instantly welcome Ryusei in to their lives, just because he is their biological son. Finally a moment of realization for Ryota arrives when he goes to return the goodwill money given to his family by the nurse who switched their sons. The nurse’s stepson, who we hear during a court case had previously refused to accept her as his mother and so prompted the resentment that caused her to switch the babies, steps outside and stands in between them as Ryota remonstrates her, announcing, “this is my concern, she is my mother”.

This moment, combined with Ryota’s discovery of Keita’s love for him by way of the pictures Keita had taken of him sleeping, trigger Ryota to confront his past actions: he calls his own stepmother and has an awkward but sweet conversation with her to apologize for refusing to accept her all those years ago, before making his way to the Saiki’s to reunite with Keita.

The film won several awards on its release last year, including the Jury Prize at Cannes, and it is no wonder, for it truly is a pleasure to watch, progressing along in the slow, steady pace of Koreeda’s previous films, gently unveiling the delicate ties of it’s characters. By the  end of the film, one is left feeling that the switch was in fact a blessing in disguise for the Nonomiya’s, for it led to Ryota slowing down and seeing the true value of family; and Midori, unable to have any more children and leading a somewhat lonely existense, gaining another son and accepting the animated Saiki family into her life.

© Emma Burles