“Absolutely amazing, moving, thought provoking .... and depressing.” Godalming Film Society
: The late legendary actress is "delightfully devilish" as the family’s wily matriarch. Manbiki kazoku
The story follows a makeshift family of social outcasts living in a cramped home on the outskirts of Tokyo. They survive through a combination of low-wage work and a "pyramid scheme" of petty crimes, primarily shoplifting . “Absolutely amazing, moving, thought provoking
: The film’s tone shifts dramatically in the final act. An unforeseen incident leads the police to uncover the family’s secrets, revealing that their bonds are based on shared trauma and mutual benefit rather than blood . Critical Themes They survive through a combination of low-wage work
: The audience is put in a position of empathizing with characters who are technically kidnappers and thieves, forcing a choice between legal morality and human compassion . Performances and Style