I am slightly exaggerating but I can easily identify Kore-eda’s movies by how the light touches people’s faces. It’s lonely but warm, and realistic yet soft. And this mood of light resembles how the camera looks at the characters in his movies. <Broker> had a thicker plot than his previous movies but the message and tone were very similar. Even though there were a lot things to resolve because of the heavier plot, I appreciated that we spent enough time with the characters to learn how they didn’t lose hope regardless of the harsh and urgent situations that they were in.

Because the movie was about an abandoned baby and people around him, I felt anxious and worried about the safety and well-being of him throughout the movie. Every character has their own desire and history but when it came to the happiness of the baby, they were able to be united quickly and acted as if they were a tight family. It’s always heartwarming when the audience’s desire becomes aligned with the characters’ in the movie.

As I get older, fewer movies make me sob. For some reason, even if the movie ended in a hopeful note, I started sobbing again after I got home from the movie. It’s a quiet story about ordinary people but somehow it struck a chord with me deeply. Already, I want to watch it again.