If you’ve seen Hirokazu Kore-eda’s other films, like Nobody Knows or Like Father, Like Son, you won’t be surprised that The Shoplifters isn’t all about joy. The director says, “I don’t portray people or make movies where viewers can easily find hope. … Some people want to see characters who grow and become stronger over the course of a film. But I don’t want to make such a movie.” – The New York Times