Last week I saw an announcement that the film “Shoplifters” was going to show at the Film Center downtown. I had mentally noted that it was a film I wanted to see, but could not recall exactly why. The schedule was very odd – three showings each at 6:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Dinner time on the least popular movie nights, intriguing…
On last Monday I saw Shoplifters, a Japanese film with English subtitles about a family; a Grandma, two parents, and two, then three children living in a very small space.
The film has stayed with me and bits of action pop into my head without warning. It is about relationships and about secrets, it is joyful and appalling, delightful and wretched. The photo shows a happy group, and that is part of the story.
Since I don’t want to be spoiler I can only hope that you see the film. It could only be a Japanese film and no way an American film, nor could it have been a book. Well worth your precious time.
daily woodring 