She’s called Joy, but her life is no picnic. A Filipina maid flying under the radar without a UK visa, work allows her to sofa surf in posh London houses while the owners are away on holiday. Still, if they find out she’s hiding her stowaway daughter, deportation looms. Built-in tension sustains this keenly observed social realist tale, as the marginalised protagonist confronts a hostile immigration system, while daily facing condescending attitudes from her wealthy employers.
So far, so Ken Loachian. But British-born Filipino first-time writer-director Paris Zarcilla isn’t out to make just that kind of worthy high-fibre movie. Right from the off, there’s a sinister genre-hybrid shadowing the story’s underlying threat – stalking camera moves and a sub-bass soundtrack drone suggest as much. And when Joy (Max Eigenmann) takes on a lucrative cash-in-hand gig looking after a semi-comatose old man in a dilapidated mansion, a decidedly gothic element takes hold. There are creepy ill-lit passageways, dark family secrets, and a locked wing in the big old house. And you don’t cast gimlet-eyed character actor David Hayman just to have him zonked out in bed...
Needless to say, for young miss Grace (Jaeden Paige Boadilla, delightful), Joy’s mischief-loving daughter, this expansive new abode is a fun palace, with plenty to explore and lots of hiding places. No wonder Joy’s stress levels are rising, striving to keep her little girl safe while not dampening her natural high spirits. Centred around Eigenmann's clenched central performance, entirely redolent of a woman with no time for superfluous emoting, the first hour here is convincingly detailed and wholly engrossing. However, when it’s time to ramp up the action, the finale’s broader strokes prove just that bit sketchier.
Zarcilla has plenty to say about the insidious influence of a colonial past
Zarcilla, inspired by his own mother’s life experiences, has plenty to say about the ongoing insidious influence of a shared colonial past, and he convinces us that this seemingly disparate genres mash-up can actually work, with thematic nods towards ‘Jane Eyre’ (no less!) lending it a solid grounding in the classics.
Ultimately, it’s not quite as accomplished as, say, Nikyatu Jusu’s New York-set Nanny, another combination of conscience-tugger and spine-tingler, but as micro-budget British debuts go, forgivable flaws notwithstanding, it’s mostly disarmingly effective. It’s refreshing to see a first feature which isn’t just a calling card, but driven by an authentic need to find a fresh angle on representing an undervalued cultural heritage.
In UK cinemas Dec 29.