FILMMAKER Jason Paul Laxamana adds another romance film to his portfolio with “Hold Me Close,” starring Carlo Aquino and Julia Barreto.
The story follows siblings Lynlyn (Barreto), Tantan (Jairus Aquino) and Botbot (Migo Valid), who work at a morning market in Yoboku, Japan. There, they meet Woody (played by Aquino), who has wandered around the world for seven years in search of the “perfect home.”
Bound by their Filipino heritage, the four connect instantaneously. Then, a deeper, romantic connection blossoms between Woody and Lynlyn, introducing the film’s fantasy twist: she has the ability to discern a person’s eventual role in her life through sheer touch.
Lynlyn acquired the ability after an encounter with a yokai, akin to an anito in the Philippines. When she tries it with Woody, he initially registers a neutral presence, meaning he will have no significant impact on Lynlyn’s life. However, he later evolves into a positive presence who brings joy, only to shift into a negative force destined to cause her pain and misery.
Despite its intriguing premise, “Hold Me Close” falls short due to its lackluster storytelling. For a film that revolves around the concept of haptics, it struggles to touch the hearts of its audiences due to shallow depictions of its characters, who remain underdeveloped at the end of its 98-minute runtime.
For instance, Woody’s character repeatedly resorts to self-pity with lines like “Walang magmamahal sa’kin” (No one will ever love me), which seems designed to strike a chord in Lynlyn and the audience rather than contribute to his character arc.
Lynlyn appears to exist solely to resolve Woody’s internal struggles. Woody has the tendency to discard anything he deems broken — whether an object or a place — which Lynlyn tries to rectify by encouraging him to stay rooted in a place to fully appreciate its beauty.
In the end, the film rushes to tie up loose ends with a cliché plot twist. Spoilers aside, it’s safe to say that the conclusion feels forced and ends up becoming a misfit in a puzzle that’s placed there just for the sake of “drama.”
For what it’s worth, “Hold Me Close” does succeed in showcasing the sceneries of Japan such as the Matsuura River, Nanutsugama Cave, and Niji No Matsubara Pine Grove.
Barreto also shines in her role, a departure from her 2022 film “Expensive Candy,” which also paired her with Aquino under Laxamana’s direction.