Taking care of children is a responsibility automatically undertaken by those who have decided to bring them into the world. To say this responsibility has been fulfilled by every person who has ever become a parent is idealistic, leaving many to recognize building a family of their own as a noble duty and purposely stray from it.
There are many reasons why people may or may not want to be a parent, and director Randolph Longjas aimed to discuss such topics surrounding parenthood in his latest film, Mujigae.
As the seventh film of his career, Longjas told Manila Standard Entertainment that he wanted to represent individuals who are in the midst of discovering whether parenthood is something they would want for themselves.
“As a millennial without a kid, I sometimes ponder whether I want to have a child or not. That’s why I want to represent the idea that it’s okay not to have a child of your own, but you are capable of loving,” he said.
True to his words, Mujigae centers its story on a woman adamant about not having kids named Sunny (Alexa Ilacad), who ends up bearing the responsibility of taking care of her Korean-Filipino or Kopino niece named Mujigae (Ryrie Sophie) after the death of her elder sister, Rainalyn.
As a character, Sunny is depicted as a tough-as-nails woman who finds children annoying and wants nothing more than to follow her dreams of becoming a successful hairdresser outside of the country. With Mujigae ending up on her doorstep, it comes as no surprise that this is met with resistance on Sunny’s part.
Sunny’s stance on veering away from the responsibilities of motherhood due to her abandonment issues makes it inevitable for her to clash with the grieving Mujigae, who longs for a mother long gone. Ilacad and Sophie’s performances in the film drill this unfortunate but realistic dynamic home in the first half, making audiences long for them to see eye-to-eye and realize how similar they truly are.
However, it is slightly tragic to see Sunny’s reluctance to be a mother ignored by those around her as she is forced into situations without anyone validating her feelings and simply expected to conform to what the people around her want.
As Sunny eventually warmed up and welcomed the idea of becoming a mother figure to Mujigae, it served as a heartwarming reflection of what Longjas wanted to show audiences all along—that everyone deserves to feel the love of a family, whether by blood or by bond.
In terms of production, the film was beautifully crafted with clever cinematography that featured camerawork seemingly telling a story of its own. Its compelling script was delivered convincingly by a skilled cast and left no room for awkward moments that disconnected the audience from the story. The chemistry between all of the cast members can also be felt throughout the film, making it more entertaining and moving to watch.
Overall, Mujigae serves as a reminder that family holds great importance because that is where we receive true and unconditional love that can help us through the toughest trials, and that it can be found and formed anywhere, even in the most unlikely places. It shows that this kind of love sometimes demands sacrifice and is always worth it in the end.
Mujigae is now showing in SM Cinemas nationwide.
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