Like Father, Like Son (2013)

Ryota is a successful workaholic businessman. When he learns that his biological son was switched with another boy after birth, he faces the difficult decision to choose his true son or the boy he and his wife have raised as their own.

Director:

Hirokazu Koreeda

Writer:

Hirokazu Koreeda (screenplay)

Stars:

Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yôko Maki

22 wins & 47 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Masaharu Fukuyama	...	Ryota Nonomiya
Machiko Ono	...	Midori Nonomiya
Yôko Maki	...	Yukari Saiki
Lily Franky	...	Yudai Saiki (as Lily Frankie)
Keita Ninomiya	...	Keita Nonomiya
Shôgen Hwang	...	Ryusei Saiki
Yuri Nakamura
Kazuya Takahashi
Yoshida Yoh
Pierre Taki	...	(as Piêru Taki)
Ichirô Ogura
Hana Kino
Hiroshi Ohkôchi
Kazuaki Shimizu
Tsuyoshi Hayashi

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....

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

At what point does a father truly become a father?

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

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.

---

Connections

Remade as Like Father, Like Son

---

Soundtracks

Aria
from "'Goldberg Variations', BWV 988"
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Glenn Gould

User Reviews

A great solid movie with a delicate subject. One of 2013 best

Director Hirozaku Koreeda returns to the children theme, presenting a drama about a couple that discovers that their 6 year old son has been swapped in the hospital with another baby. Now, there is a choice to be made, as whether the children should be switched or not. The movie has a cold, intense and almost uncomfortable feel to it, such is the delicacy of the situation itself, whose directing easily penetrates through the viewers spirit. All the actors, adults and children, deliver an outstanding performance, particularly Masaharu Fukuyama, the father. Also it is important to note how the movie doesn't fall into stereotypes and into the easy sentimentalism. The movie is strong, just as the presentation, all building up for one of the best movies in 2013. Check out this and other movie reviews on thefadingcam blog on blogspot! Also like us on facebook =)

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

28 September 2013 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Like Father, Like Son

Filming Locations:

Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,044, 19 January 2014

Gross USA:

$334,616

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$37,170,163

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amuse, Bun-Buku, Fuji Television Network

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1