‘Her Locket,’ a film directed by J.E. Tiglao, from a script by Tiglao and Maze Miranda, is mixed bag of stories where some narratives play out better than others, while some of the more interesting ideas of the film are left out completely. Set primarily in the home of Jewel Ouyang (Rebecca Chuaunsu), a woman suffering from dementia, and her son, the lawyer Kyle (Boo Gabunada), her memories start to return after finding a locket that holds a phot of her and her family. She relates these stories to her new caregiver, Teresa (Elora Espano), who has issues of her own concerning her father and who carries a desperate need to change her appearance.
The film jumps back and forth through time, detailing Jewel’s complicated relationship with her parents and her brother Magnus (Benedict Cua as the younger version, Francis Mata as the older version) that includes leaving architecture to pursue an actor career and her frowned-upon relationship with a Filipino (Tommy Alejandrino), Each story is its own little movie that attempts to build the momentum for a confrontation between the older Jewel and the older Magnus after Magnus has taken what is rightfully hers.
The film attempts to tell many stories: one of mental health and the struggles one faces when living with dementia and caring for someone with dementia; the complexities of Filipino-Chinese traditions and how they can be oppressive for the younger generation; through Teresa, there’s a story about trust and loyalty and a need to run away from her past while Jewel, recalling now all her lost memories because of the locket, is ready to confront her history and face off with her brother.
Telling all of these stories, ‘Her Locket’ becomes a mixed bag because the script struggles to connect all these stories thematically. While there is a parallelism that is attempted with Jewel and Teresa’s need to face their past, the stakes are very different for both characters. Jewel’s oppression is cultural, but she has the means to take a stand and she has the strength to choose the path of kindness despite all that’s done to her. On the other hand, Teresa’s oppression is economic, and she does not have the means to easily face up to the challenges. The comparison isn’t equal, so it has a hard time finding synergy within the film’s overall narrative.
At the same time, the story tackles the complex traditions of the Filipino-Chinese family – their push towards business rather than the arts, arranged marriages, their resistance to mixed race relationships, and their strict beliefs against queer children – but these are stories that have all been told before in one way or another in books, movies, and television shows. I know that these issues still exist but their appearance in this film doesn’t offer any new insight or perspective into these narratives.
The writing also has a habit of painting its characters with only one palette, rendering many of the characters as one-dimensional such as Magnus and even Jewel. The most complex character in the film is Teresa, whose story feels adjunct to the rest of the movie. Her relationship with Jewel is the heart and soul of the film with Chuaunsu and Espano creating a palpable chemistry that grounds the film.
The best parts of the film go to the flashback featuring Sophie Ng as a younger Jewel. Ng has a way of breathing life into the role that even if she is written as a character straight out of a melodrama – a martyr, a victim, kind to a fault – she makes it believable. Her scenes with Tommy Alejandrino are the strongest, where Tiglao shows a capable hand of playing out the romance of their storyline. Their chemistry is strong, and their scenes brings life to the film. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long.
There are storylines that are presented that are never played out that could have given us a new perspective of things such as Jewel becoming an actress despite her mother’s disappointment, or a further examination of her relationship with her father, which is given just a few scenes. Those are vital but when you consider that the film’s third act is that of a courtroom drama and the children’s relationship with their father is put on centerstage, there should have been more.
‘Her Locket’ is an ambitious piece that leans in the more familiar narratives and tried to put them all in into one movie that its parts are far better than the sum. But the performances from Ng, Alejandrino, and Espano are something to remember.
My Rating:
Her Locket, a finalist in the #SinagMaynila2024 Feature Film Category, is in select cinemas from September 4-10, 2024.
