It's a shame to see that this movie doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

Koreeda created a hard-to-watch, but unforgettable masterpiece. Four young kids, left behind by their mother, trying to survive in the suburbs of Tokyo, all on their own. The tragedy is perfectly portrayed by the actors, the camera, the dialogues. You feel like you're not in front of a screen, but rather right there, between those little characters. You want to help them, take them out of this building, this city, this situation.

Koreeda knows exactly how to show the sadness and the helplessness. Still, he also understands that there is happiness in rare moments, plus that solidarity grows between the siblings.

Yes, it's gruesome, especially if you know that the movie is based on similar happenings in Tokyo in the late 80s.
And yes, it will leave mental scars on you, it will make you cry, it will make you lose hope.

But all of this not in a corny or exaggerated sort of way, no. Koreeda puts you right there, leaves you alone and makes you one of those poor little kids. Because in the end that's just what they are, placed in a forlorn situation.