If you listened to popular discourse, you'd probably think that race relations aren't a problem in modern Japan - yet many mixed raced citizens suffer in spite of this, and it's up to films such as 'Born With It' to bring the issue to light. The film follows half-Japanese, half-black Keisuke as he transfers to a new school in the countryside, having to deal with prejudice from his classmates and finding out about who he is in the process. Such a heavy issue as race relations could've made this film rather heavy, but luckily the great script and some surprisingly good child acting inject this film with a good sense of humor and a healthy dose of heart. That being said, there are some moments where the message of the film is stated verbatim by the characters, making it come across as less intelligent than it actually is. The cinematography also sometimes lends a hand in putting across the message with some good framing, but often feels slightly flat due to long cuts and static camera positions. Hopefully, this film will inspire others to explore this as of yet unexplored issue, even if it isn't amazing in and of itself.
Review of Born with It
