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Movie review: LA Santos impresses in 'In His Mother's Eyes'

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Fred Hawson

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="LA Santos and Maricel Soriano in " in="" His="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/entertainment/11/30/la-santos-maricel-soriano-11302023.jpg"/><figcaption>LA Santos and Maricel Soriano in &#x27;In His Mother&#x27;s Eyes&#x27;</figcaption></figure></div><p>(UPDATED) Tim (LA Santos) was an autistic young man who lived with his gay Uncle Bibs (Roderick Paulate) who ran an embroidery business in his house. When Tim was a still a child, his mother Lucy (Maricel Soriano) had to go back to Japan to work as a cultural dancer. Since then, Tim did not allow their gate and doors to be closed in the hope his mother will return. However, for the next 13 years, they didn&#x27;t hear any news from Lucy at all. </p><p>One day, a taxi stopped at their gate and out came Lucy. She tried her best to reconnect with Tim, but she could not get through to him, upsetting him with things she did for him with all good intentions. Bibs gave her the cold shoulder, going out everyday for secret errands, and avoiding her when she wanted to talk. She couldn&#x27;t voice out her opinions, even when Bibs contradicted with what she wanted to advise Tim.</p><p>The acting prowess of Ms. Maricel Soriano is a given, and her Lucy was given a lot to suffer from. Here, she was made to look humbled to the point of being pathetic, tearfully swallowing all insults thrown at her. You knew she was going to explode sometime before the film ended, but when it happened, it was unfortunately staged as a loud scandalous public spectacle, which did not look like it benefitted Tim at all.</p><p>Roderick Paulate always had good onscreen chemistry with Soriano, especially in their flamboyant gay comedies in the 1980s. It was good to see them together on the big screen again, but too bad, this script did not bring out the best in their partnership. While we understood the bitter grudge he had against Lucy, his Bibs was made to sound very petty, especially when Paulate delivered his lines with his signature petulance. </p><p>Singer LA Santos gave a remarkable performance as troubled autistic young man, confused by the family drama going on at home, as well as the duplicitous shenanigans going on at school. He did well in those scenes when Tim displayed his encyclopedic knowledge, and sang his own songs with a guitar. He held his own ground with dignity, unfazed by the two clashing veterans he shared the screen with.</p><p>Directed by FM Reyes, this uber melodramatic Filipino movie was clearly intended to be a tearjerker, so all the classic tropes were thrown in the mix. However, if only Lucy and Bibs did not keep major secrets between them, all this unnecessary fuss could have been avoided. </p><p>Face-slapping confrontation scene aside, a rather desperate 11th hour twist had to be tacked on at the end, to squeeze out ever more tears before the reconciliatory finale.</p><div><em>This review was originally published in the author&#x27;s blog, &quot;<a href="https://said-fred.blogspot.com/2023/11/review-of-in-his-mothers-eyes-secrets.html">Fred Said</a>.&quot;</em><br/> </div>

Singer LA Santos gave a remarkable performance as troubled autistic young man, confused by the family drama going on at home.