Shoplifters

In select theaters
November 23^rd 2018

121 minutes

Japanese

Japan

The latest from Japanese master Hirokazu Kore-eda (Nobody Knows) begins with the mischief and intrigue of a heist movie, but Shoplifters is much more. On the margins of Tokyo, a dysfunctional band of outsiders are united by fierce loyalty, a penchant for petty theft and playful grifting. When the young son is arrested, secrets are exposed that upend their tenuous, below-the-radar existence and test their quietly radical belief that it is love that defines a family.

starring...

Lily Franky

Shibata Osamu

Ando Sakura

Shibata Nobuyo

Matsuoka Mayu

Shibata Aki

Kiki Kilin

Shibata Hatsue

Jyo Kairi

Shibata Shota

Sasaki Miyu

Hojo Juri

Writer, Director, Editor

Hirokazu Koreeda

Producer

Kaoru Matsuzaki, Hijiri Taguchi, Akihiko Yose

Cinematography

Ryûto Kondô

Music

Haruomi Hosono

Casting

Toshie Tabata

Production Design

Keiko Mitsumatsu

84% on the CINEMETER

MIL

93% - Nov 18, 2018

Wow! This destroyed me ... in a good way. Thanks! Excellent choice.
Milwaukee Member

Disturbing. Fascinating. Provocative.
Milwaukee Member

Very interesting and thought provoking.
Milwaukee Member

STL

78% - Nov 11, 2018

I loved it! A good story about what really defines a family.

A beautiful film about love and family. I loved the connection with the story "Swimmy," and how many small fish can gather closely together to survive the threat of the big predator.

St. Louis Member

Extremely poignant, affirming only way for feral children to find a semblance of comfort is through a makeshift family. Not for everybody but an interesting slice of life in an interesting subculture.
St. Louis Member

A fascinating story about family and love and modern necessity. Some beautiful scenes.

Excellent film. . . the family is a place of mind to be supported and protected.
St. Louis Member

Everyone has a desire for an ideal family but nobody has one. Many make great pretense to hide horrific truths and destructive relationships. These people pretended to be a family but they were more honest about their sins and had a healthier and more caring relationship than many. A profound and touching story.

Fabulous film. Defines beautifully what family does and is. Sets up the conflict of how a family survives, what it takes. Sometimes it takes lies and deceits and even crime.

St. Louis Member

ATL

93% - Nov 11, 2018

My new favorite movie - a family made up of a potpourri of neglected, homeless persons and the love between the individuals is a wonder.
Atlanta Member

Rarely do I see a film at 2+ hours and I wish it were longer, but that’s certainly the case here. … Absolutely beautiful and surprising.
Atlanta Member

I will ponder this movie for quite a while. … the scene with Lin where her “mother” explains what a real family is is just lovely.
Atlanta Member

Low key but effective. … only issue - most families that live in poverty do not have this kind of family unity.
Atlanta Member

Deceptively simple, yet beautiful.
Atlanta Member

Thought provoking … Cinematography really helped the cramped feeling of poverty - a film that will reside in my mind a long time.
Atlanta Member

What a warm, loving family, even if they were grifters, liars and murderers.
Atlanta Member

An example of the best of Japanese cinema (along with a lot of ramen slurping)
Atlanta Member

Dickensian, but more complex. And I am so hungry for noodles!
Atlanta Member

I know the slurping of noodles is a cultural thing, but it does play an intentional role here - having to do with the marginal nature of these characters. They are both dignified and uncouth people. The “dad” is both so good and responsible w/ his “son” in so many ways … and he’s bad for the kid. This “both/and” theme runs through the film and maybe is the point.
Atlanta Member

BOS

67% - Oct 28, 2018

Great movie. Very moving.
Boston Member

The power of family by choice.
Boston Member

A lovely touching story.
Boston Member

Emotionally rich film. All about human kindness
Boston Member

The kids were great!
Boston Member

90% - Nov 4, 2018

A touching depiction of tenderness and love on the margins of society. Allows us to see family and human connection in a new way without the restrictions of conventional morality or societal norms. Beautiful, moving, exquisite casting.
San Francisco Member

Complicated (perhaps because of cultural differences) but very moving. I probably would never have gone to see this unless strongly recommended by Japanese friends, but I will strongly prod them to see it...I really enjoyed this film.
San Francisco Member

A terrific no-holds-barred look into a hidden aspect of Japanese society - kept me on my toes!
San Francisco Member

A sad tale not only about love and "real" family, but about society's inability to see the truth.
San Francisco Member

Very cleverly constructed - great twists towards the end. Frames the question "what makes a good parent" very well.
San Francisco Member

Have to head next door now to slurp noodles.
San Francisco Member

81% - Nov 4, 2018

Wow! but it took a while to get into. The kids' acting was awesome.
Greater New Haven Member

What does it mean to be family? What does it mean to be a mother? This film raised so many questions that are so important, especially today, when "family" has taken so many forms. Outstanding acting, outstanding film.
Greater New Haven Member

A tale of human complexity that tugged me in many directions and left me feeling very attached to this family.
Greater New Haven Member

The honesty of the main characters about their feelings and connectedness living on the fringes of Japanese society (as compared to those living within the social center) makes for an amazing film.
Greater New Haven Member

Best film of the season! Stunningly acted, shot and directed.
Greater New Haven Member

Greater New Haven Member

86% - Nov 4, 2018

I love that the film doesn't give answers and just shows a situation - cramped, friendly, loving, messy, protective. Shooting in that flat must have been -- malodorous.
Washington, DC Member

Beautifully done - the plot unfolded like origami. Best film of this season!
Washington, DC Member

I appreciated the way the movie gave me no place to land safely - not for us, not for them. It was so gentle and loving - then brutal and bureaucratically unforgiving, yet so much honesty between family members.
Washington, DC Member

I kept wondering where was this movie going, where was it going, and then, POW!
Washington, DC Member

Beautifully told story. Understated in its message of love and caring. We don't always "fit" in the norms of society and this film makes you question why we don't see some situations for the love that surrounds it rather than the rules it breaks.
Washington, DC Member

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