Manbiki Kazoku or Shoplifters, released on May 13, 2018, is a Japanese drama film directed and written by Hirokazu Kore-eda. The film casts are Lily Franky, Kirin Kiki, Mayu Matsuoka, Miyu Sasaki, Kairi Jō and many more. The film won the Asian Film Award for Best film (2019), Donostia Award (2018), Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year (2019), Japan Academy Prize for Director of the Year (2019) etc.
The film is about a non-blood-related dysfunctional family struggling to survive their everyday lives. But things come to a halt when the young boy of the family gets caught during shoplifting and the investigator unravel the hidden secrets.
The film shows portrayed of a group of six people bounded by fate, living under the same roof and act as a family. It makes the audience question the true definition of family. Can you choose your own family? And if you do, does the bond with the chosen ones are more robust than the birth family?
We don’t get to choose our family by birth nor we can escape the abusive ones as a child. The film shows an unfortunate little girl, born into an abusive family who left her out in the cold to die. While her family abended her, the outsiders choose her, take care of her and include her in their family. The bond and relations shown in the non-blood-related family in the film introduced a new perspective and definition. Yes, this family wasn’t perfect, they were connected to each other by the secrets they hide, but the bond, the care and the wholesome interaction made this family extraordinary. The film also shows some social issues, characters growth and sacrifices. The shoplifting arts and the urge every child felt to impress their caregivers.
"With a mother who wishes she hadn't given birth to you, you'd turn out more like us. You don't grow up to care about others."
When the person, who is supposed to love you, take care of you and protect you the most, wishes you were never born, as a child, empathy is the last thing your brain wants to develop.
I personally love the film and the beautiful way it shows the relations and events. The casts, especially the child actors, played their part beautifully. I highly recommend it.
Cover poster - Source
(Rest of the images are taken from the film)
