Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
My Partner is about two teenagers, one Hawaiian and the other Filipino, who fall in love when they work on a school project together.
Edmar (Jayron Munoz) and Pili (Kaipo Dudoit) are intelligent high school students from different cultures. When their teacher pairs them up to work together, they’re ambivalent about spending time with each other. Pili is a jock whose friends don’t care for the studious Edmar and the guys he hangs around, and the feeling is mutual for Edmar and his gang. But as Edmar and Pili begin to learn about each other’s cultures and interests, they begin to see each other differently. Soon their interests grow past the assignment, and romance blossoms.
Some Thoughts:
My Partner cares more about exploring Hawaiian culture than telling an engaging story, which is unfortunate. It spoils the romance, and what could be a very enjoyable Romeo and Juliette type romance. It also doesn’t help that everything that makes a romance interesting is missing.
There’s supposed to be sexual tension between Pili and Edmar, but neither Dudoit nor Munoz are able to pull it off. And the scenes where they’re alone with each other feel awkward and forced. On top of that, nobody catches on that they’re becoming close, nor do they seem to care. This takes away any tension the story should have while removing any obstacle in the way of Edmar and Pili falling in love.
The film does a good job showing the differences between Filipino and Hawaiian cultures, and that’s about it. There’s also a sweet scene where Pili does a traditional Hawaiian dance with his uncle that I really enjoyed, and there is a touching moment near the end. But those two scenes aren’t enough to rescue this mess from the awful acting and awkward story.
The Final Verdict:
My Partner is clumsy and sloppy. Despite being a romance, it lacks emotion and tension. It’s a shame because it would have been really good if it had been in more capable hands.
