MovieChat Forums > Soshite chichi ni naru (2013) Discussion > Question about the ending (Spoilers!)

Question about the ending (Spoilers!)

posted 10 years ago by knowntoonlyone-998-836440
11 replies | jump to latest

Obviously this involves spoilers, so please stop reading if you haven't seen the movie....

Now the question: near the end of the film, Ryota and Midori take their biological son Ryusei to visit the Saikis, the couple who raised the child (in fact, Ryusei still wants to return to them). While at the Saikis' place, Ryota is reconciled with his adopted son Keita, who he has grown to truly appreciate.
Does all this imply that Ryota and Midori intend to return Ryusei to his adopted parents and take back Keita? That is the impression I received, though I realize Koreda could be keeping things ambiguous. What do you think?

[–] Look-sthlm 10 years ago

I interpreted the ending, the same as you did.
That he realized his mistake, and that they "switched" back.

[–] loploppresents 10 years ago

When Ryota told Keita earlier in the film that he would be living with the Saikis, he called the arrangement a "mission". In that scene at the end of the movie, Ryota tells Keita that the "mission" is over, which indicates that the boys will be returning to their original homes.

What happens after that is left ambiguous, but I think a strong argument can be made that the families will stay in close contact so each couple can act as a close "Aunt and Uncle" to their biological sons.

[–] lewisherschell 10 years ago

'When Ryota told Keita earlier in the film that he would be living with the Saikis, he called the arrangement a "mission". In that scene at the end of the movie, Ryota tells Keita that the "mission" is over, which indicates that the boys will be returning to their original homes.

'What happens after that is left ambiguous, but I think a strong argument can be made that the families will stay in close contact so each couple can act as a close "Aunt and Uncle" to their biological sons'.

I interpreted the ending exactly the same way, with the way the whole group entered the shop together (framed as a group, much like in that portrait of the families that Keita's father took with his DSLR) suggesting that in the future, the two families would function much as one 'extended' family.

'What does it matter what you say about people?'
Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958).

[–] gus_vash 10 years ago

Spot on. My thoughts exactly.

[–] MinimallyTalentedSpoiledBrat 9 years ago

Same feeling

[–] rc-108 10 years ago

I agree with these.

I loved this movie.
well done...

[–] TelmoRomeu 9 years ago

I don't completely agree with this point of view.

The mission that Ryota gives Keita in their last dinner together is that, even if he feels alone, he shouldn’t contact their old parents. However, like you pointed, Ryota grasps he was unfair to him, especially when he saw all the pictures the little boy took of him. Keita nurtured his father more than the father nurtured him, and that’s why he felt betrayed and ran away when he saw him.

However, I believe the “mission over” Ryota declares is about them not being connected. Yes, I do believe the two families will have a much closer relationship, but I don’t think they will swap the kids back again. That's why we have the camping scene, where the family realize they can have an healthy relationship with Ryusei, their biological son.

[–] Erin-Leigh-14 9 years ago

i took the camping scene as an indication that Ryota is capable of having a healthy relationship with a son and that he understands the need a son has for an involved father - but also that, even after having all this fun together, a child will still long for his Mommy and Daddy, and that wasn't going to stop.

to me, this scene was the first clue that Ryota would realize his error, and also the first clue that he would be a better father from here on out.

[–] emvan 9 years ago

There's no going back to the original setup. Both boys prefer the better Dad, and as much as Ryusei would like to live with the Saikis, Keita would resist returning to his original parents even more. After all, he's not even experienced the opening up we've seen in Ryota, as he learns how to play with Ryusei.

The strong implication of the ending is that the two families will make a decision to stay as close as possible, thus giving each son a primary and secondary set of parents. It wouldn't be good for the boys to spend swapped time at one another's houses, but what will be healthy is if the two families spend a day together on a regular basis -- if I were them, I think every other weekend would be ideal. And of course (as we have already seen), any major life event will be shared by both sets of parents.

Prepare your minds for a new scale of physical, scientific values, gentlemen.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (5943) 6 years ago

Keita was okay with his new family, but would have preferred to be back to his original mom more. His problem was that the original father in so many words said he didn't want him.

[–] NoEasyBuckets (332) 5 years ago

I agree with you. They manage to bond with Ryusei enough that they will be able to live with the arrangement, but they both feel regret about cutting Keita out of their lives and keeping Ryusei away from his old family.