Overview
A poignant exploration of family dynamics and unexpected bonds during a time of crisis.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- quiet
- wistful
- intimate
- reflective evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Anthony Chen's debut as a quietly compassionate, richly detailed, and strikingly mature family drama.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Teresa's role as a Filipino maid gradually develops into an unspoken maternal bond with Jiale while the Lim family remains strained.
Jiale's troublesome behavior and attachment to Teresa reflect his alienation from his parents.
Teresa arrives from the Philippines seeking a better life and works within the Lim family's household.
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis begins to affect Singapore as the family's emotional and economic pressures intensify.
Films like Ilo Ilo, and why
Shoplifters
quietly observed family drama centered on class tension, caregiving, and emotional distance
The Florida Project
intimate coming-of-age drama about a child finding warmth within an unconventional household
Still Walking
empathetic domestic drama exploring economic hardship and strained parent-child relationships
The Second Mother
naturalistic social drama about migration, labor, and fragile family bonds
Movie Details
- Director
- Anthony Chen
- Release Date
- 2013-08-29
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (123)
Cast
- Yeo Yann Yann
- Chen Tian Wen
- Angeli Bayani
- Koh Jia Ler
- Jo Kukathas
- Peter Wee
- Naomi Toh
- Stephanie Kiong
- Jia Min Chantel Teo
- Zhi Fang Xu
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Ilo Ilo about?
- A Filipino maid becomes an emotional refuge for a troubled Singaporean boy as his family confronts class divisions and the first shocks of economic crisis.
- What is Ilo Ilo like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ilo Ilo as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Ilo Ilo violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Ilo Ilo as mild.
- What did critics think of Ilo Ilo?
- Critics broadly regard Anthony Chen's debut as a quietly compassionate, richly detailed, and strikingly mature family drama.
- Which films are like Ilo Ilo?
- Films with a similar feel include Shoplifters, The Florida Project, Still Walking, and The Second Mother.
- How long is Ilo Ilo?
- Ilo Ilo runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ilo Ilo?
- In United States, Ilo Ilo streams on Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel.
