The Broker ★★★½

Adoption is a delicate topic to talk about because the process involves giving away a child to another family. The thin line between abandonment and security as a byproduct is complicated.

The Broker explores the theme of adoption as it shows both sides balancing each other. On the one hand, a young single mom struggling to make ends meet decides to leave her baby. On the other hand, a female cop catching a criminal with judgement for deserting her son–an unforgivable offence.

Director Hirokazu Koreeda, known for his distinctive directing style, delivers a thrilling film yet fails to maintain an engaging story. At one point, the movie dragged on and somehow lost the lure to see what happens in the end. The ending could have provided substantial development in executing the main message.

Altogether, The Broker is a film about humanity and sociology, facing moral issues about adoption. There is no perfect solution to what the film discusses–the conflict between the abandoner and the one left behind. The perfect question and the perfect answer does not exist, it seems, when it comes to adoption.