Tel père, tel fils (2013)

Ryota Nonomiya is a successful businessman driven by money. When he learns that his biological son was switched with another child after birth, he must make a life-changing decision and choose his true son or the boy he raised as his own.

Director:

Hirokazu Koreeda

Writer:

Hirokazu Koreeda (screenplay)

Stars:

Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yôko Maki

21 wins & 44 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Masaharu Fukuyama	...	Ryota Nonomiya
Machiko Ono	...	Midori Nonomiya
Yôko Maki	...	Yukari Saiki
Lily Franky	...	Yudai Saiki (as Lily Frankie)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jun Fubuki	...	Nobuko Nonomiya
Shôgen Hwang	...	Ryusei Saiki
Arata Iura
Kirin Kiki	...	Riko Ishizeki
Jun Kunimura	...	Kazushi Kamiyama
Megumi Morisaki
Yuri Nakamura
Isao Natsuyagi	...	Ryosuke Nonomiya
Keita Ninomiya	...	Keita Nonomiya
Hiroshi Ohkôchi
Kazuya Takahashi

Storyline

Would you choose your natural son, or the son you believed was yours after spending 6 years together? Kore-eda Hirokazu, the globally acclaimed director of "Nobody Knows", "Still Walking" and "I Wish", returns to the big screen with another family - a family thrown into torment after a phone call from the hospital where the son was born... Ryota has earned everything he has by his hard work, and believes nothing can stop him from pursuing his perfect life as a winner. Then one day, he and his wife, Midori, get an unexpected phone call from the hospital. Their 6-year-old son, Keita, is not 'their' son - the hospital gave them the wrong baby. Ryota is forced to make a life-changing decision, to choose between 'nature' and 'nurture.' Seeing Midori's devotion to Keita even after learning his origin, and communicating with the rough yet caring family that has raised his natural son for the last six years, Ryota also starts to question himself: has he really been a 'father' all these years....

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Plot Keywords:

boy | 6 year old | child | smoking | tent indoors | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

25 December 2013 (France)

Also Known As:

Tel père, tel fils

Filming Locations:

Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$20,400 (USA) (17 January 2014)

Gross:

$278,442 (USA) (14 March 2014)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amuse, Fuji Television Network, GAGA

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the film Masaharu Fukuyama's character can be seen using a Canon camera. In reality he is sponsored by the company.

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Connections

Remade as Like Father, Like Son

User Reviews

Children's feelings

I won't describe the plot as it has been done already. What was moving to me it was the way that Keitan feelings were hurt by the expectations, lack of attention and coldness of his 'father'. He makes him feel not good enough and a disposable good that can be exchangeable and has no right to express its feelings. He goes as far as to request the child to avoid all contact with them.

He reconsiders his posture after-wards and what it seems to have disgraced both families comes across as an important opportunity to reconsider one's views in life and one's priorities.

Very recommendable movie.