While adoption doesn’t have the same stigma as it did back in the day, it doesn’t mean that the process is worry-free. There’s still a host of issues surrounding the process, plenty of which have been depicted in film. So, it’s no surprise that True Mothers holds more or less the same themes we’ve seen before, but where some films focus on mining the melodrama, filmmaker Naomi Kawase’s writing is much more restrained, keeping its take as naturalistic and detail-oriented as possible, and thus, demystifying the process. The slow pace may not be to everyone’s taste, but True Mothers is a thoughtful, sensitive portrayal of Japan’s adoption system today.
"Kawase ties everything together beautifully in the end, even if the strands coming out of the movie's core get a little gnarled along the way."
— Ryan Lattanzio
"True Mothers tries to interweave two powerful themes -- teen pregnancy and the longing for family -- but ultimately emotionally falters due to its sprawling timeline."
— Robert Daniels
After suffering through a long and unsuccessful series of fertility treatments, Satoko and her husband Kiyokazu make the decision to adopt a child. Six years after adopting a boy they named Asato, Satoko has quit her job to concentrate fully on her husband and son. The family lives a peaceful existence until the arrival of a stranger.
Years after adopting her son Asato, Satoko Kurihara receives unexpected contact from Hikari Katakura, Asato’s teenage biological mother.
Hiromi Nagasaku does a great job leading the cast, but Aju Makita steals the second half with her excellent performance.
A bit too long, but it makes adoption seem more normal compared to other depictions, and that's what makes it great.
Cannes
1 nomination
