Why you can trust 12DOVE
Winner of last year’s Camera d’Or in Cannes, Anthony Chen’s touching 1997-set debut tells of a Filipino maid, Terry (Angeli Bayani), who comes to work for a Singapore family buckling under the pressure of economic recession.
Painting a tough-but-realistic portrait of life as a domestic, Chen doesn’t simply trade on hardships, with the put-upon Terry’s bond with the family’s son Jiale (Koh Jia Ler) providing the film’s heart.
As their early fights give way to growing respect, it’s a beautifully calibrated relationship, with small moments gradually building into something much bigger.
A gem.
James Mottram is a freelance film journalist, author of books that dive deep into films like Die Hard and Tenet, and a regular guest on the Total Film podcast. You'll find his writings on 12DOVE and Total Film, and in newspapers and magazines from across the world like The Times, The Independent, The i, Metro, The National, Marie Claire, and MindFood.
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