Ilo Ilo (2013)

"Hope is within yourself"

Ilo Ilo is a domestic slice of life film played out in a middle-class family's time of challenges during the financial crisis of the 1990's in Singapore. When the mother hires a Filipino nanny to care for her mischievous son, the move only exasperates an already tenuous situation. The deceptively simple story hides layers of social and familial concerns augmented by a capable cast and an unsentimental approach.

Lim Keng Teck tries to hide the fact he was fired from his sales job and is now working as a security guard from his wife Hwee Leng, a clerical worker who spends much of her day typing up termination notices. Their son, Jiale, spends most of his time being disciplined at school which causes headaches for his mother. She decides to hire a Filipino nanny to watch over him with the hopes of him staying out of trouble. Hwee Leng doesn't hide the fact she is suspicious of her nanny, holding onto her passport, and thinks less of her due to her status and background, offering her only the plastic to cup to drink out of. Terry is prepared to deal with her employer's condescending attitude but is unwilling to be bullied by a 10-year-old child which she quickly makes clear to the impish and at times, cruel Jiale.

Hwee Leng could come across as difficult to like. However, upon further examination, she was a pregnant mom who worked long hours all while trying to raise a troubled son. Her jealousy of the nanny as Terry's relationship with Jiale became closer was understandable if not particularly admirable. No one was there to comfort her, and she struggled to give comfort to others. Keng Teck was guilt ridden after he squandered much of their savings in the failing stock market. Though he endured the henpecking of his wife affably most of the time, he did crack and explode as well under the strain. Terry had a baby back home she was trying to provide for by working in a foreign country where she was treated as less than. She was fully capable of deception in order to earn some money on the side, but at heart she was a kind woman who managed to break through Jiale's shell. And it was Jiale who was the crux of this family, the desire to give him a good life, to raise him, to reach him that compelled many of the characters. The little lottery obsessed boy who desperately needed to feel loved and seen, who missed his grandfather, was the emotional center of the story that everyone else orbited.

The financial crisis was manifested through the crashing stocks, a shyster financial guru, suicides, firings, and a general air of desperation around the populace. In this little microcosm we were shown the pressure it put on the family and their relationships to each other. The story skimmed over what appeared to be racial and class disparities, the kind not singular to Singapore. Hidden habits like smoking and drinking, secrets kept from spouses, and typical extended family issues were touched on as well during this time of financial downturn.

Yeo Yan Yan, Chen Tian Wen, and Angeli Bayani made for very believable adults adjusting and adapting to their positions, sometimes in a deeply flawed manner and other times with gentle humor. Koh Jia Ler as the naughty yet fiercely loyal Jiale brought a naturalness and vulnerability to the problematic child.

Despite the title Ilo Ilo, which was the province Terry was from, and despite Terry being one of the most sympathetic characters, the story was not told from her point of view. This was a slice of this family's life and much of her background was left unknown. We saw her struggles, yet in the end it was always going to be about whether this family could pull together during a crisis and overcome their anxieties and shortcomings.

Much as in real life, the mood of this film could swing from tears, to anger, to fear to laughter. I would have preferred for some of the elements of the story to have been expanded on and brought to a close but like many slice of life films, Ilo Ilo doesn't tell us how the story ends, we are left to figure that out for ourselves. We can hope the characters take what they have learned and grow as individuals and strengthen their familial bonds but that is up the viewer in the end to decide. If you are looking for a film about family with all the good and bad that comes along with it, this is a film worth trying.

5/31/23

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