The Cinematic Masterpiece and Social Commentary
Shoplifters is not just a cinematic masterpiece that mesmerizes its audience with its innovative filmmaking techniques. However, it also offers a profound commentary on the dynamics of family and society. Directed by the talented Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda, the film has received widespread acclaim for its ability to blur the lines between right and wrong, challenging conventional ideas of morality and family values.
At the story’s core, the Shibata family represents an unconventional yet deeply compelling concept of what it means to be a family. They are connected not by blood or traditional patriarchal ties but by a shared nomadic and collective spirit, defying the established norms of a “real family.” In the process, they create a unique self-definition of what constitutes a good family, prioritizing the strength of their emotional bonds over societal expectations. Their journey serves as a touching reminder that love and happiness can be discovered in unexpected places, demonstrating the resilience of the human spirit in the face of oppressive social realities.
As Shoplifters gains popularity in the Japanese and Chinese cinema markets, it resonates deeply with viewers, encouraging them to question the prevailing sociocultural and political definitions of a “real family” and a “good person.” In a world where conformity often takes precedence, the film’s portrayal of the Shibata family challenges us to reevaluate our preconceived notions and appreciate the beauty of human connections and individuality. In a film industry where many movies aim for either aesthetic excellence or box office success, Shoplifters manages to achieve both, leaving a lasting impact on those who are touched by its distinctive and thought-provoking narrative.
Manbiki Kazoku
The original Japanese title, Manbiki Kazoku, which translates to “a family of thieves,” establishes the film’s central theme. This title perfectly captures the dual nature of the Shibata family, who survive through unconventional means while forming a profound emotional bond that goes beyond societal norms.
In the initial sequences of the movie, we are skillfully introduced to the world of “the thief” as we observe Osamu and his teenage son Shota engaging in collaborative shoplifting for groceries. Through the camera lens, we witness their seamless coordination as they adeptly carry out their unlawful activities. The camera then follows them on their way back home, highlighting the contrast between their life of minor crime and their roles as caregivers within their family.
On their journey back, Osamu’s compassionate act of rescuing the five-year-old Juri, a child he frequently saw in dire circumstances, hungry and in need, showcases the family’s ethos of assisting those in need. This act of kindness and the sense of belonging it fosters serve as a moving reflection of their shared values.
It is a closely-knit family spanning three generations, coexisting despite severe poverty. Despite their challenging circumstances, they appear content with their current situation, finding fulfillment and love within their unconventional family structure. The film skillfully portrays their dynamic, illustrating their unique form of togetherness.
The scene where the family gathers for dinner carries significant symbolism. While they sit in separate corners around the room, physically distanced from one another, it vividly illustrates the formally distinct shape of their family’s existence. Nonetheless, the emotional closeness and love they share transcend physical space, portraying a family that challenges conventional norms and celebrates the power of connection and compassion in the face of adversity. Manbiki Kazoku prompts us to reevaluate our preconceived notions of what constitutes a family, urging us to question the boundaries and definitions that society imposes on these deeply personal relationships.
Revelation of Family Secrets
As the narrative unfolds, the intricate tapestry of family secrets becomes increasingly evident. The camera adeptly transitions to separate scenes, delving into the daily lives of individual characters. These layers of mystery surrounding the atypical family start to unravel, shedding light on their intricate relationships and concealed truths.
A crucial moment arises when a government official visits the modest house, revealing a revelation that deepens our understanding of the family dynamics. It comes to light that the grandmother, the eldest member of the family, owns the house. This fact clarifies why Osamu refers to her as “grandmother” instead of “mother,” as the other children do. This distinction underscores the unconventional nature of the family, where biological ties take a backseat to their shared bond and purpose.
The arrival of the government official further underscores the enigmatic nature of the family. The children must be concealed, hinting at a clandestine existence that challenges conventional norms. It becomes apparent that the individuals in this household are united not solely by blood but by a common mission or purpose. This sense of unity is exemplified when they take in Juri, a stranger, providing her sanctuary from an abusive and neglectful family, further highlighting their collective commitment to helping those in need.
Each family member reveals their marginalized status, painting a poignant picture of their struggles. Osamu and his wife, Nobuyo, labor as part-time workers, earning meager incomes that barely sustain them. The eldest daughter, Aki, finds herself in a precarious situation as a sex worker, underscoring the challenges she faces in her quest for survival. Shota, the teenage son, is not attending school, reflecting his educational obstacles.
The family’s shared experience of marginalization and their unconventional unity together create a profoundly moving narrative that challenges societal norms and stereotypes. It invites the audience to question the concept of family, belonging, and the intricate interplay of love and survival in a world where individuals are often pushed to society’s fringes.
Challenging Sociocultural Norms and Authorities
The family members of this unconventional household need to be more active in dealing with their challenging reality. Instead, they serve as a compelling alternative force that challenges the hypocritical and often cruel aspects inherent in sociocultural norms and customary practices. These norms and practices are upheld and enforced by authorities, particularly the police, under the labels “the legal” and “the natural.”
The elderly grandmother, whom her ex-husband and his son abandoned, discovers comfort and care in the embrace of Osamu and his wife, whom she once took in. This intricate network of support and affection goes beyond traditional notions of family obligations, illustrating the family’s profound dedication to each other. When the grandmother passes away, and the family cannot afford a conventional funeral, they choose to keep her within their home as a lasting tribute to her memory. However, this act of respect is viewed by the police as “discarding the corpse,” leading to a clash between their deeply held beliefs and the legal system. Nobuyo, in defense of their actions, firmly states, “I did not discard her; I accepted her when someone else discarded her.” Her sense of right and wrong challenges the law’s inflexibility, highlighting the moral complexities that can arise in such situations.
Similarly, the experiences of Shota and Juri, who were abandoned by their biological parents but found love and care within the unconventional family, are labeled as “kidnapping” by the legal system. Juri, in particular, likens her departure from her biological parents to a cicada shedding its old shell. In her perspective, it is not a painful process but rather an exchange for the promise of better living conditions, symbolized by the emergence of wings. When Juri is returned to her biological parents by the police, only to be abandoned once again, she goes back to the same corner where Osamu initially adopted her. This cyclical nature of her experiences emphasizes the instability of the normative discourse upheld by the police.
Nobuyo’s thought-provoking question, “Does giving birth to a child make one a real mother?” challenges the conventional definition of motherhood, prompting the police officer to argue that one can only be considered a mother if one gives birth. However, as Juri’s real experiences reveal, these dominant normative discourses crumble when confronted with the complexities of real-life situations.
The film artfully employs irony and social commentary to contrast the warmth and authentic bonds of this “illegal family” with the cold, privileged, and often emotionally distant “legal families.” It compels the audience to question the worth of legal definitions and societal norms in the face of genuine human connections and empathy, emphasizing the arbitrary and often unjust nature of these distinctions.
Challenges Within the Shibata Family
Despite the deep emotional connections and unique cohesion within the Shibata family, they are not immune to their fair share of difficulties. One of their most prominent challenges is the prevalent issue of “theft,” which constitutes a significant portion of their income. This collective involvement in criminal activities, necessary for their survival, becomes a moral and ethical quandary that weighs on the family members.
The film skillfully portrays the repercussions of their actions when Juri, the youngest family member, engages in shoplifting for the first time. In a bold move, she turns off a burglar alarm to allow Shota to pass through the store’s front door with stolen fishing rods. Osamu celebrates the successful execution of this “significant project,” but Shota’s response is far from joyful. Instead, it triggers an inner conflict within him, leading him to question the morality of their actions.
While they stroll alongside a river following the incident, Shota appears visibly preoccupied and maintains a notable distance from Osamu and Juri as they walk in parallel. This visual representation underscores Shota’s growing reservations about the recent theft and suggests his internal turmoil. It foreshadows Shota’s ultimate act of rebellion when he deliberately exposes himself while shoplifting, which subsequently leads to police involvement in the family’s concealed world.
The metaphor of “shoplifting” in the film is a potent commentary on the destructive consequences of rebellious defiance against the prevailing economic and political system. It underscores the tension between the family’s unconventional way of life and the expectations and norms of the external world. The inevitability of society not embracing their family becomes evident, raising profound questions about the limits of acceptance, ethics, and the outcomes of challenging established systems. In this manner, the film not only narrates the family’s story but also provides a broader exploration of societal dynamics and the intricacies of human existence.
Cinematic Techniques: Extensive Shots and Close Angles
The director’s precise utilization of extensive shots and close angles in the film is a potent cinematic technique for immersing the audience in the world of the Shibata family. These cinematographic decisions establish a purposeful, unhurried tempo that enables viewers to form a close emotional bond with the characters, engendering a profound emotional connection through the distinctive perspective of the camera.
The extensive shots capture the family’s interactions and surroundings, encouraging us to linger in their everyday lives providing a calm and nearly meditative encounter. This measured pacing allows the audience to fully grasp the subtleties of the family’s relationships, their simple joys, and their profound trials. Through these instances, the audience evolves from passive spectators to emotionally engaged participants in the family’s journey.
Conversely, the close-angle shots offer an intimate glimpse into the characters’ thoughts and emotions, conveying their internal conflicts and the dilemmas they grapple with. These intimate shots establish a feeling of vulnerability and genuineness, making it more accessible for the audience to relate to the family members, even as they confront moral quandaries and unconventional choices.
The outcome is an exquisitely crafted and slowly unwrapped narrative that enables us to completely immerse ourselves in the story of this anarchic family existing within a repressive world. It is a cinematic experience that challenges established notions of family, ethics, and societal standards while underscoring the significance of human connections, empathy, and resilience in adversity. The film’s deliberate tempo and cinematographic preferences transform it into a piece of art that not only entertains but also encourages contemplation and deep emotional involvement.
Fragile Nature of the Makeshift Family
A prevailing theme throughout Shoplifters is the unsettling notion that the delicate structure of this makeshift family is bound to disintegrate sooner or later. It is as though everyone involved, with the possible exception of Shota and Juri, carries the weight of an unspoken truth, recognizing that their joyfully created family will inevitably fall apart. Are they simply pretending, cherishing this precious, self-formed unit while they can, fully aware of its temporary nature? If so, this makes their unconventional bonds even more cherished, as they are not held together by blood but by a shared choice, rendering them more intimate and meaningful.
Simultaneously, the film skillfully reveals the illusion of blood relations and how they can sometimes mislead us into believing in connections that are, in truth, non-existent. It is a common human experience to feel disconnected from our biological family members while forming exceptionally close bonds with those we have chosen as our true family.
In a later sequence where Granny’s group gathers at the beach, moments of joy in their togetherness are sadly contrasted by the abrupt, desolate realization of how short-lived such moments will be in their shared public life. It is the type of scene that students of storytelling and cinematic narratives might anticipate to be followed by a somber twist. However, this anticipation does not diminish the scene’s emotional impact.
The enduring message of Shoplifters is a compelling reminder that family ultimately becomes what you create. Whether it is a chosen makeshift family or one born from biological ties, both necessitate a certain leap of faith that they will function, that they will persist. Sometimes, that faith is rewarded with lasting love and connection, while in other instances, it might be painfully betrayed. Nevertheless, in a world filled with unpredictability and impermanence, it is often the trust we invest in our chosen or given families that provides us with the strength and support to navigate life’s trials and discover moments of genuine happiness and belonging.
Bibliography
- Nicholls, S. (2020). ‘The Legal’ versus ‘The Moral’; The Plight of the Family in Contemporary Japan —’Shoplifters,’ dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018. Supamodu.
- Syversen, R. (2019). Shoplifters (2018) | Review & Analysis. JCA.
- Turan, K. (2018). ‘Shoplifters’ is a magical film about ordinary people forming a makeshift family. virginislandsdailynews.com.
- Zhang, S. (2018). Shoplifters: The Tale of an Anarchic Family. Film Criticism.
