The movie True Mothers, based on Mizuki Tsujimura’s novel Asa ga Kuru, presents an affecting look at motherhood as it follows Satoko and Hikari, two women whose lives are intertwined by a child and commitments made for her sake. The film moves beyond the typical legal battles surrounding children to consider various expressions of maternal care—the love of a birth mother and that of the person who nurtures a child. F…

The premise holds promise, however, the narrative feels disjointed and unfocused. The director’s approach suffers from a similar lack of direction, contributing to a generally chaotic final product. Despite these shortcomings, I found myself compelled enough to continue watching past the initial scenes.