#TIFF18: “SHOPLIFTERS” REVIEW

Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong

Not only did SHOPLIFTERS win the prestigious Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, it should be a shoo-in for a Best Foreign Film nomination this Awards Season and, most importantly, be a must-see at TIFF ’18 this year. Set in a slums part of Tokyo rarely seen on the big screen, a poor family of five augment their low paying jobs and monthly pension by stealing from stores for essentials like food and shampoo. When they add an abandoned three-year-old girl to the family dynamics, the shoplifting intensifies.

The final 30 minutes of SHOPLIFTERS, where family secrets are revealed, vacillate between feelings of heartbreak and inspiration. The performances by the entire cast are sublime to the point of perfection. SHOPLIFTERS is masterclass filmmaking and I genuflect at the genius that is Writer/Director Hirokazu Koreeda.

SHOPLIFTERS screens on Friday, September 14, 9:00 PM, Winter Garden Theatre and Saturday, September 15, 9:00 AM, TIFF Bell Lightbox.