A Far Away Life

I was sent a screener of this and was asked to review it. This film is very different than what I'm used to watching. It is a very interesting and intriguing film in multiple ways. Based on a True Story which makes it even more interesting. The story follows a tale of love and loss. Which I feel like it does well. It was enjoyable. It was very sweet and heartwarming in a way. I do like how it showed a lot about the Filipino culture as well. The cast was ok for the most part. Georgia Jauslin & Sophia Bacor were probably the stand out performances for me. The way this was directed was pretty good as well & probably my biggest take away from this. Visually it looks very vibrant and colorful. Very beautiful in some scenes as well. It does have a few weird scenes here and there that I didn't really get. Some editing is a bit off with some weird cuts. The dialogue felt solid for the most part. But you can feel the love and heart that as put into this film. Watching it felt strange for me, but I can see how much dedication the filmmakers have. For an indie film it definitely doesn't feel like one. It feels better than one. It was an enjoyable film overall. I definitely appreciate the work everyone did on this.

benedictlokie

May 11, 2026 · via TMDB

★ 9.0

It was such a heartfelt and genuine film. It doesn’t try too hard to be overly dramatic or flashy. It simply tells its story with sincerity, and that’s what made it work for me. Tess’ journey really stood out. Her struggle between following her heart and doing what’s best for her family felt very real and relatable, especially within a Filipino family setting where sacrifice is such a big part of life. The cinematography was beautiful too. The villages, beaches, and lush landscapes made the film feel warm and authentic, almost like the setting itself became part of the story. One of my favorite parts was definitely the music. The BisRock soundtrack gave the movie so much soul and identity. The songs blended naturally with the scenes and made the emotional moments hit even harder. Cesar Montano and Joross Gamboa both gave sincere performances that added a lot of heart to the film. Overall, it’s a simple but moving coming-of-age story about love, family, and sacrifice. Quietly emotional, beautifully local, and very easy to connect with.