J-emine's reflexionando

On the plane ride to Tokyo, I decided to watch a Japanese flick to commemorate this newly-minted journey of mine.

The chosen film was one of the Top 10 film at the Japanese box office in 2013 – Soshite Chichi Naru (Like Father, Like Son) starring one of the few Japanese actors that I do know (sorry, closet K-pop lover here) , Masaharu Fukuyama. The story spans around two family of different backgrounds, values, financial and societal status. The link? Finding out that their sons were switched at birth.

In my opinion, Koredea, has poignantly crafted the storyline towards issues and reflections of – nature vs nurture, glimpse of societal values and standing with current middle and working-class Tokyo-ites, character cultivation and acceptance, and most importantly – the distinctive portrayl of human behaviour and regardless of how they live or raise, will grow according to the world bestowed upon them.

Fukuyama’s character was the riveting depiction of a man expressing his own inner emotional struggles and turmoil outwardly through his ceaseless questioning of why his ” son” wasn’t as gifted as he was as a child right down to his appalled behaviour and decision made towards knowing his biological son was being bought up by a man in his own book – below him in all aspect. The main turning point was a gradual transition that reflected Koreda’s craftsmanship and strong portrayal of human emotions and intricacies.

I enjoyed how the story and characters deepened and come full circle. Indeed, it provoked few tears, so beware but coming from someone with low tear ducts tolerance –I’ll let you decide on that for yourself. The main punch of the movie, in my honest opinion – heck the DNA or genetics, the kids didn’t give a flying kick, all they wanted was the parents that loved them, as how they have come to know….love.