Written and directed by Hirokazu Koreeda
Starring Lily Franky, Sakura Andô and Mayu Matsuka
Running time 2 hours and 1 minute
MPAA rating: R for some sexual content and nudity

by Francis Friel, The Projectionist

So many films are about families, or at least say they are. Everything from romantic comedies to the MCU to horror to whatever nonsense animated children’s fantasy is terrorizing theaters on any given week. But too often, the theme seems to be that no matter what, the family you were born into will always be there for you. There is no stronger bond, most cinema wants to argue, than blood. Once in a while, though, we get something a little more interesting. Shoplifters is about family, but it also more specifically leans into the messier side of what it means to belong to something.