LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON/ SOSHITE NICHI NI NARU

Japan, 2013, 121 minutes, Colour.
Masaharu Fikuyama, Machika Ono.
Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda.

There have been a number of films about exchange of babies at birth and the consequences for the children and for their parents. In 2013, the Israeli film, The Other Son, dealt with young adults who find not only were they changed at birth but the Jew was brought up as a Palestinian, the Palestinian as a Jew. This time the discovery of the change occurs when the children are six.

The film spends a great deal of its attention early in establishing the character of the father of one of the boys, a workaholic architect who is very loyal to the firm in the Japanese tradition. He has high expectations for his son and is often disappointed, that his son is not like him in talents and achievement. His wife works at home and is devoted to her son.

When they receive a message from the hospital where their child was born, they are shocked to find, after a blood test for the boy to enter a school, that he is not there blood-son. This is an emotional shock for the audience, although they are already building up feelings of alienation from the driven father and feelings of sympathy for the mother – who will blame herself for not recognising that her baby was not her own when she feels a mother would have and should have.

Then we are introduced to the couple who have brought up the other boy. He is a bright young lad, content with his parents, looking after his siblings. The father works in a garage, the mother is very busy and works in a café. They have a fairly happy-go-lucky attitude towards life, especially the father who enjoys moments of peace and idleness.

What are the couples to do? They are friendly towards each other, although the architect automatically looks down on the other father. The two mothers get on much better with each other and are mutually supportive.

There is an experimental time when each of the boys goes to live with the other family, the actual son of the architect finding it very difficult to be alone in the affluent apartment away from everyone else, while the other boy is more at home with the brother and sister.

All the time, the film is challenging the audience as to what they think, what they feel, what they would do in a similar situation, how they would advise others who were tackling the problems.

One of the values of the films is enabling audiences to identify with each of the situations, assessing the values of the two fathers, sympathising with the mothers. There are many emotional sequences, more challenging for the architect father and his coming to terms with the realities, the other father being more easily casual.

Two other films by the director have dealt with children and their issues, very sympathetically: Nobody Knows (2004) and I Wish… (2012). All three films are recommended.


1. The title, the different fathers, the different sons, relationships and similarities? Raising issues of nature and nurture?

2. Japanese settings, the city, apartments, high-rise buildings, markets and streets, homes, shops, offices, the parks? The musical score?

3. The premise: the changing of the babies at birth, the nurse, the responsibility of the hospital, the response? The discovery of the lack of relationship by blood tests for entry into school? The nurse, her being a witness, her motivations, her angers, marrying, adopting children, Ryota and his confronting her, giving the money, her son defending her? Issues of law, Ryota’s lawyer and their discussions? The case, issue of damages, Ryota returning the money to the nurse?

4. The introduction, Ryota and his wife, Keita, six years old, the situation of the family, affluence, the apartment, the only child? Ryota and his work ethic, his demands, knowing that Keita had slow attention, demanding that he play the piano, the computer games, of the idea of going on a mission, practising the piano, the recital, his playing Chopsticks, the contrast with a little girl and her mastery? Outings, love, Keita calling him daddy? The mother and her care?

5. Ryota, architect, his place in the company, relationship with the boss, discussions about work, the designs, work on Saturdays, late? The hard work ethos? Loyalty to the company?

6. The hospital phoning, the visit, their being told bluntly about the situation? The mother and her guilt feelings that she did not know that the boy was not her real son? Her illness, unable to bear more children? The six years’ experience? The father, discovery of the truth, his saying that this made sense and judging his son’s behaviour? The mother and her remembering this and accusing her husband for saying it?

7. The other parents, their three children, the issue of adoption, the lively house, the boy and his care of the other two children, the spirit of play, the ability to fix things? The mother and her love, ordinary, in the shop with Keita, the wink? The father, older, idle, relaxing in the summer, fixing things, playing with his children? Interested in the cash for damages? But his love for the children?

8. Facing the decisions, the meetings, the experiment with the exchange of boys, the experiences? Keita and his being able to adapt to the larger family, enjoying himself? Not so concerned with the loss of Ryusei, in the house, his father and discipline and demands, impersonal? High expectations? The mother, not feeling initially close to her son, gradually feeling love him?

9. The outings, the behaviour of each of the children, the group of children, the different parents and enjoying the outings? Ryota and his seriousness? The photo and the later looking at it?

10. Ryota and his own father, stern, his mother and his father’s treatment, running away to see his mother, the visits, the phone call? His behaviour influenced by his father, like his father?

11. The visit to the forest, the artificial forest, the insects and movement, the cicadas and developing over 15 years? The symbolism of this visit?

12. The two boys, the request to call the parents mother and father, Keita and his fitting in, playing, the bath with the brother and father? At ease?

13. Ryusei, alone, looking at the window, the high-rise? The request to call Ryota father, the boy continually asking why? Bashing the piano, his father disciplining him? Some acceptance, the computer games, the mother beginning to love him, living up to some of his father’s expectations? Happiness, the wish, his declaring he wanted to go back home?

14. The two women and the bonding, mothers and their shared experiences?

15. The father, talking to the boss of the company, wanting him to slow down?

16. Ryota, the camera, Ryusei not wanting it? Discovering Keita’s many pictures of him, at rest, asleep? Going to visit, the father and son walking on separate parts, meeting, not fully embracing? Yet making the decision, and the two families together, going into the house?

17. The process of Ryota’s change of heart and behaviour? Playing with Rusei, able to relax with the children? The result for his wife?

18. Audience response, thinking what they would do in similar situations? The effect on children aged six, able to comprehend what was going on, change, the future? The audience thinking what advice they would give to parents in similar situations?