The Thief Family: the Story of the Little Black Fish

Johnathon 2022-07-13 20:49:03

Have you heard the story of the little black fish?


In a corner of the sea lived a group of small fish. All of them were red, and only one was black. One day, a ferocious tuna ate all the little red fish, and only the little black fish escaped. He was wandering in the sea alone when he encountered a group of little red fish hiding behind the reef. To survive, he no longer avoided hiding. He thought of a good way to teach them to swim like big fish and keep their eyes off him! In this way, they swim in the cool morning and the bright noon, scaring the big fish away.


Xiangtan mentioned the story of "Little Black Fish" for the first time when the "father and son" walked out of an abandoned car together on a cold night. Before, Xiangtai was sulking because she didn't want Lingling to participate in the theft, and she hid in her secret stronghold, an abandoned car. In the car, Shibata Haru, like his father, persuasively persuaded Xiang Tai. When Shota agreed with Shibataji's statement, he couldn't help but be moved and asked, "Call me Dad?" But Shota shyly refused.


After getting out of the car, Xiangta suddenly asked Shibata Haru: "Have you heard the story of the little black fish?"


This could be a great parent-child education moment. Under the dim street light, the two had just reached an agreement on the same thing, and Xiangta wanted to open up to the middle-aged man who had been with him all the time, asking for more guidance and love. But Shibata was also a low-level person who had not received much education since he was a child. He embarrassedly concealed, "I don't know English very well." Shoda didn't know what to do and continued to ask:


"This is not an English class, it's a story in a Chinese class."


The story of the little black fish is indeed the work of [American] writer Leo Leoni (in English), and it was transferred to the Chinese textbooks of Japanese elementary schools. Shibataji's embarrassment couldn't be further increased at this moment. He and Xindai never forced Xiangtai and Lingling to call themselves parents, and they may have a kind of inferiority deep in their hearts—they have no talents and are not worthy of being parents.


For the second time, Xiangtai's voice was clear, and she recited the clip from the little black fish:


"They say we're going to work with each other, and you're my eyes."


"So we can beat the big fish."


At this time, Mrs. Xiang asked a question: Isn't that big fish very pitiful?


Shota, although often silent, has always had doubts about the justice of stealing. He trusts Shibata and believes Shibata's three statements: only those who can't learn by themselves at home go to school; the things on the store shelves don't belong to anyone until the store closes. But when he saw that the little black fish was going to defeat the tuna together with the little red fish, he had the same confusion: if the big fish was just foraging for food and surviving normally, why should the little fish defeat the big fish?


Shibata Haru was unaware of Shota's struggle. He just answered casually, as usual: If you sympathize with the big fish, the little fish and his companions will die.


Xiangtan has never been an active thief. It can be said that he does not fully approve of this kind of behavior, which can be seen from the fact that he is obsessed with finding out the scene of his being saved, whether it is because Shibata is stealing or he is saving himself. And he never wanted Lingling to participate in the theft.


Just like Aji later, she firmly believed that her grandmother took her in because of love, but after knowing that her grandmother took money from her parents, she instantly became lonely and seemed to be deceived.


So who is the big fish? Is the shopkeeper in the stolen shop, the stepson of Shibata Hatsue's ex-husband, a big fish? But they also don't seem to be particularly wealthy, especially the elderly, who have always known they stole but tolerated it. When the old man died and the store closed down, Xiangtai and Lingling were stunned at the door of the store.


The big fish is not insensitive; the little fish just wants to stay alive and wants more. Just like the two brand new fishing rods that were stolen, Shibata said excitedly, "If you sell it, it will cover my salary when I don't work." But until the end, he didn't sell it to earn living expenses but, like the middle class, went fishing with a freshly dressed Shota on a sunny day.


The handling of the fishing rod is true and tactful, which makes the whole article higher level: Is the director's position sympathizing and rationalizing the behavior of the thief family? Is it impossible to survive by stealing? The director uses this detail to guide the audience to think about the complexity of the poor's behavior: on the one hand, they want basic survival, but they also want a more decent way of living.


When Shibata was asked, why teach children to steal? This question seems to be asking why children are not taught well.

He answered naturally.


Because he doesn't know English or Chinese, stealing is his best skill. He just wants to teach his children the survival skills he has, just like the father downstairs teaching his son to play football, just like other fathers teaching their sons the same homework. If he had been educated, he might have also taught his children Chinese and English. Just like he tried to do magic for his children, he used a blown plastic bag as football practice just because he had nothing. When I stand in front of you in pain, you cannot say that I have nothing, you cannot say that I am empty-handed.


Shota has a mind that doesn't match her age. Shibata Haru realized that his relationship with Shota had come to an end, so although he built a snowman happily like his father and son when he was asked at night, "Are you going to abandon me at that time?", he no longer stood in his father's position. To maintain their dignity, but embarrassed and helpless to tell the truth, yes. He did not criticize the poor father. He got on the bus indifferently, stopped looking back, and kept a distance from the family. The two reached an agreement, and since then, this is just an uncle. But after the bus went on for a while, Sho Tai still whispered "father" softly, after Shibata Haru's confession that night.


Lingling's short haircut signifies that she wants to integrate into the family. She was Yaji more than ten years ago, with short hair and a sweet smile. If Yutai is not caught in the end, and the family will not be caught, then the relationship between Yutai and Linlin will be like Aji and Shibataji many years later. It is still a tragedy that they are unable to get out of the cycle of poverty. So Yuta's behavior is inevitable. He doesn't know too much truth, but he has a simple belief; that is, he doesn't want Lingling to repeat the fate of stealing.


Before, I didn't understand why my sons and daughters would steal the pensions of deceased family members. News like China is not uncommon. But this movie made me figure out why. In reality, they also grieve for their grandma, but they still have to survive. If grandma was alive, she would willingly spend her pension on her children. Whether alive or dead, the old man wants the child to be better off, doesn't he? Whenever I see a small clip of her pampering Aji, I sit in an almost full movie theater, and I can't help crying. I like Aji and this arrogant but shrewd grandmother. In the second half, I kept weeping, and I couldn't wipe it away. I thought that since no one knew me anyway, I couldn't hide it.


This is the quietest movie I've ever seen. There are very few people playing on mobile phones and no children making noise.


When writing a film review, I realized that I have two stages. One is the sense of substitution, and the other is the overall and rational analysis from different angles. Based on the sense of substitution, the movies I like and the movies with high scores all feel that they have similar experiences with themselves or are inspired by them. But I think, as an objective film critic, you also have to like stories that you haven't experienced, or can't experience, but have logic and storytelling, and authenticity. The world does not revolve around individuals, and while you are the center of your universe, you are not the protagonist of all stories. Even if the story has nothing to do with you, allow yourself the ability to be touched. This is how I rate movies now.


I gave high marks to this film and "The Richest Man in Xihong City," which was released at the same time. A comedy and a social issue drama are not at the same latitude, and there is not much comparability. But if I have to use different words, then I conclude that the richest man in Xihong is more concerned about the anxiety of modern people, just like the show "How to be successful" displayed on the entry bookcase in the bookstore. However, the idea of ​​"The Thief's Family" is higher and farther, focusing on the humanistic care of society as a whole, which will penetrate deeply into the soul.


They went to the beach in the summer, and in Lingling's painting, there was a large blue sky that day.


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Extended Reading
  • Roel 2022-04-24 07:01:16

    Four and a half stars. It is Hirokazu-eda's return to the most familiar narrative rhythm. The mood is like the warm sun at 4 or 5 in the afternoon, but it is warm but not dazzling. It seems to be recording the daily life of the "thief's family", but what it does not know is that it depicts cute guys who have been stolen from ordinary family, but warm each other where no one cares. If Hirokazu Kore-eda can simplify the first half, the emotions will be released more movingly. Ando Sakura adds too much depth to the film, but doesn't overwhelm the guest.

  • Bartholome 2022-04-24 07:01:16

    The little boy has the shadow of Liu Le Yumi, and wants to hug him. /Reviewing the domestic release version is the same place that I like the most, and I have added a lot of favorite details. Finally, I sigh, human nature is too complicated, there is love and there is evil.

Shoplifters quotes

  • Yuri: [while trying on a swimsuit in a department store dressing room] Will you hit me later?

    Nobuyo Shibata: [Anguished] No, I will not hit you.

  • Nobuyo Shibata: If someone hits you and tells you they are doing it because they love you, they are a liar.

    [Hugging Yuri]

    Nobuyo Shibata: This is what someone does when they love you.