Doll House – Movie Review
Director: Marla Ancheta
Writer: Rona Lean Sales (Screenplay)
Cast
- Braon Geisler
- Mary Joy Apostol
- Ricardo Cepeda
- Althea Ruedas
- Phi Palmos
Plot: A man takes on the job of caring for a little girl, the daughter he left behind years ago.
Runtime: 1 Hour 47 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Doll House starts when Rustin (Geisler) sees one of his bandmates and best friends die of an overdose. Needing to address his own problems, he returns to Rotterdam, a place filled with memories. Everything from a life left behind.
Rustin looks to befriend fellow Filippino, Bok (Palmos) who is raising Yumi (Ruedas). Yumi is his daughter from his previous life, her mother died in a car crash, leaving Yumi adopted by a family. Rustin convinces Bok to let him help him out by babysitting Yumi, as he tries to find a way to rebuild a relationship with his daughter.
Verdict on Doll House
Characters
Rustin is a musician that has let his addiction get the best of him. He sees a close friend die and decides he needs to clean up his act. Rustin wants to make up for his mistake of leaving his pregnant wife behind. He befriends the family to get close to his daughter without giving away his identity. This is the bright spot he has been searching for in life.
Yumi is Rustin’ daughter, the one he left before she was born. She believes her parents died in a car crash, raised by her Uncle and Auntie. Yumi has been raised in a loving family, filled with a positive outlook on life.
Bok is one half of the family that raised Yumi, he is happy to see a fellow Filippino in the neighbourhood. He lets Rustin into his home to help while Yumi’s new mother is away.
Performances
Baron Geisler is brilliant in the leading role, he shows the troubled life he has been living, the regret he feels for missing part of it and the desperation to have it back. Althea Ruedas is filled with all the joy in the world during this performance. Elsewhere, Phi Palmos as the overly friendly Uncle to Yumi is great to watch too.
Story
The story follows a man that has seen his life fall apart from his addiction. He wants to make up for his mistakes and regrets in his life by meeting his daughter. This catches up with him after he gets to know his daughter and he must face his future head-on.
The story here looks to pull on the heartstrings, it shows the regrets people have. Troubles people must overcome to fix the mistakes they have made. The pure side of the story is here, despite some of the ideas coming off dangerous. Rustin’s way of approaching this would see him facing criminal actions. The idea that an addict can find a place to find a moment of purity in his life, which could help him, is the most important thing.
Where to Watch: Doll House is available on Netflix.
Final Thoughts –Doll House is a devastating tearjerker that could leave you broken.