Photographed in static shots that never cast judgement, the child actors have a naturalism that makes familiarity emotionally charged.

Hirokazu dwells on the resiliency of children, a theme that also resonated in Small Change and which gives the film a lightness not inherent in the subject matter.

Has a sweetly mournful feel, and it's well-performed throughout; still, it's a long time to spend in limbo.

Nobody Knows will chill you, further proof that the ability to procreate does not automatically qualify you to be a parent.

Profoundly metaphorical and almost unbearably heart-wrenching in its recognition of the essential aloneness of life...

A moving, subtle and poignant story.

Kore-eda coaxes gorgeously realistic portrayals from the children.

You'll be glad you saw it, but you won't say you loved this heartbreaker.

A winsome documentary-like detailed study about four abandoned youngsters in Tokyo.

The rare film that successfully tells its tale of childhood from the children’s point of view.