strawberryeuphoria

Like Father, Like Son is yet another example of why Japanese storytelling and cinema should be studied. Japan never shied away from taking on hard topics and delivering them beautifully.

Spoilers****

So the story is hard! We have two families with completely different backgrounds and styles of life who find out their son is not their biological son, and due to the malicious work of a nurse, they have been switched at birth. Now, after 6 years, they have to decide whether to switch or not. This is like the biggest tragedy if you think about it. It might sound easy, like, "Let's just take the biological kid back," but there is another child you have loved until the last minutes and one you took care of since birth, loved, and cherished, who suddenly becomes a stranger. It’s not that simple. No matter what decision you take, you are losing someone important.

Ryota Nonomiya is described as a man who has always excelled at everything he did, and he expects the same from his son. We can see his frustration when his son is not delivering what he expects, and at times he is also very harsh with the kid. So finding out his son is not his biological child culminates in him with this idea that the perfect son he wanted couldn’t deliver because it was not his. Almost like all he could think in that moment was why it all made sense. His wife, on the other hand, is shattered, caught between the guilt of not being able to notice earlier and having to decide to let go of the son she loved so dearly for the last 6 years.

On the other hand, the Saiki family is also going through shock and pain, but it seems like their whole focus is on how much money they can get as compensation from the hospital. As a viewer, it’s almost like while the Nonomiya family is destroyed by the news, the Saiki family takes on it in a more positive aspect, and that’s where we really see the difference between the two families. Although the Saikis are not as wealthy and seem like they have so much on their plate, their kids love them dearly, and they are the happiest.

This is where the brilliance of the storytelling takes us: two completely different backgrounds and family dynamics. One is cold and strict, enveloped in shades of black and grey, while the other one is bright, like a summer day, surrounded by the noise of kids playing.

But this movie is not just about finding out what blood bonds mean; more about what truly a family stands for. Ryota, who grew up with the strong idea that blood ties are important and that having a successor was the pinnacle of his life as a man, is challenged for the first time with a choice: let go of the child he raised as his own or make space for his biological son, blood of his blood. This is where things get painfully relatable, and Ryota comes to terms with the understanding that what truly matters is not the blood, but who raised you. An example is when the two families meet, and Ryota notices his biological son and the father (Saiki) who raised him both have the habit of biting their drink straws;an important detail that foreshadows how little blood ties matter.

To sum up, this movie was a brilliant piece of work, and it will make you reflect on what a family truly is. Is it the blood connection? Or is it the bond built? This movie left me pondering what I would do if I found myself in this situation and left a sad lingering feeling. Honestly, I could go on and on about this, but I truly think this movie is so worth watching.