Festival In LA: Shoplifters: The Universal Art of Stealing in Japan

By José Alberto Hermosillo

AFI FEST movie review: A hyper-realistic Japanese masterpiece that tugs at your heart endlessly. Unforgettable!

This year’s Palme d’Or winner, “Shoplifters” (2018) by Hirokazu Koreeda (“Nobody Knows,” “Like Father, Like Son”), is a transcendent morality-crime drama that places family bonds at its center.

“Shoplifters” can be connected to other notable classic works on similar themes, such as the Italian Neo-realistic film “Bicycle Thieves/Ladri di Biciclette” (1948) by Vittorio de Sica. Robert Bresson’s French New Wave film “Pickpocket” (1951) is another example. More recently, the Mexican horror film “Somos lo que hay/We Are What We Are” (2010) by Jorge Michel Grau and the 2015 Argentine crime-family drama “The Clan” by Pablo Trapero also explore a similar theme of complicity in a family crime.

These powerful films depict a family of criminals working together toward a common goal—illegally obtaining goods that their harsh living conditions prevent them from affording.

Family ties and complicity are at the heart of their actions, and their methods are similar. They naively believe there is nothing wrong with their actions, even as their crimes include petty theft, kidnapping, and, in some cases, murder.

“Shoplifters” begins when a young man, in collusion with his father, enters a store to steal goods. Their plan relies on hand signals, body language, and a smooth escape.

Over dinner, the older and prettier “sister” complains about why they forgot to steal the shampoo. The “grandmother” is an excellent cook and a clever deal-maker.

The “wife” is exhausted but still has enough energy to find out what’s happening to the little girl, the father and their talented “son” found in a cold alley.

They want to do the right thing and take the little girl to her proper parents. Soon, they realize the girl has bruises from domestic violence. Without understanding the legal consequences, they bring her home, change her appearance, and treat her as their “daughter.”

“Shoplifters” achieves universality by depicting a working-class family struggling to meet their financial goals through part-time jobs. As a result, they steal goods they cannot afford to survive. But we must remember, “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

The controversy centers on Japanese morality and the image Japan projects to the world as a developed nation, while some of its people still endure hardship, isolation, and poverty.

“Shoplifters” is a remarkable work of art, featuring compelling performances, sharp cinematography, a well-structured script that thoroughly details each character’s background, and a convincing ending. The film’s pace moves the story along quickly thanks to its skillful editing.

Venerable actress Kirin Kiki (“After the Storm,” “Still Walking,” “Kamikaze Girls”) delivers a wonderful performance as the grandmother. Sadly, she passed away from cancer three months after returning from Cannes 2018.

Actor Lily Franky (“Scoop!,” “Blank 13,” “Like Father, Like Son”) plays the family patriarch, Osamu Shibata, who naively teaches his children to steal. The mother, Nobuyo Shibata, is passionately portrayed by actress Sakura Andó (“Love Exposure,” “100 Yen Love,” “0.5 Mn”), completing the impressive cast.

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest film explores the truth about family lessons, questioning who is truly the right person for another. What makes a parent?

The one who gives birth, or the one who raises the children, ironically speaking.

“Shoplifters” depicts a cold world where everyone is searching for love. However, the unconventional actions that drive them apart cast doubt on the family’s love.

Hirokazu Koreeda, director. Film critic José Alberto Hermosillo

The film’s harsh reality is underscored by the characters’ wrongdoings, betrayals, and illicit affairs, which call into question the concepts of loyalty, love, and self-respect in a desolate, dark universe.

“Shoplifters” is the Japanese Official Entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards and, without a doubt, is a strong contender for an Oscar nomination this year.

“Shoplifters” is amusing, unforgettable, and heartbreaking. For some audiences, it is hard to connect with the actions and relationships of every character in the film due to the story’s cryptic, opaque, and at the same time complex emotions.