[9] These two families, as Mark Kermode notes on The Observer, are faced with the dilemma of retaining the children they have raised, on the basis of the bonds built with them over six years, or swap them and start over for the sake of blood lineage continuity.

[10] Southern emphasizes Ryōta's transformation in dealing with this difficult choice: he is first convinced to make the swap, believing that the affinities with his biological son will emerge increasingly evident in the future.

[9] Southern recalls two key sequences of the film, commenting that "Kore-eda has a poet's eye for human nuance": in the first scene, where Ryōta reviews Keita's snapshots, he remarks that Ryōta "discover[s] a part of himself that he never knew existed"; in the second one, where the two families casually pose together for a group photo, he witnesses how "we can see the differences not merely between the clans—one rigid and ascetic, one loose, emotionally free, and unrestricted—but between traditional and more modern Japanese conceptions of family.

"[9] David Cirone of J-Generation brings up the personal theme of balancing social norms with individual freedom, noting that Ryōta is "torn between his own expectations, those of his wife and family, and the mixed suggestions of those around him who all seem to know what's best for him and the children.

The site's consensus reads, "Sensitively written, smartly directed, and powerfully performed, Like Father, Like Son uses familiar-seeming elements to tell a thought-provoking story.

"[18] Andrew Schenker of Slant Magazine wrote a lukewarm review, praising the cinematography but also saying, "The film scores all of its thematic points early [and] unfolds among fairly ordinary lines, hitting all of the expected moments, and simply waiting out the time until Ryota realizes the inevitable folly of his decision.

[20] In 2013, DreamWorks Studios acquired remake rights to Like Father, Like Son after the film caught the eye of Steven Spielberg at Cannes.

In 2020, an English-language version was reported to be in early development at Focus Features, with Lulu Wang to direct and playwright Sarah Ruhl to write.