Gitling (Hyphen) (2023) Movie Review

Gitling (Hyphen) (2023) Movie Review: Languages of Love

Gitling (Hyphen) is a slow and meticulous film centered on language, communication, and the different ways people connect with one another. It's an interesting premise that works particularly well with its characters who find ways to understand each other despite a significant language barrier. Admittedly, even with its deep themes, the narrative can feel simple and superficial at times, leaving us wanting more from the ideas it introduces.

An award-winning Japanese director (Ken Yamamura) travels to the Philippines as a guest of honor at a film festival where his movie is being screened. Jamie (Gabby Padilla) is his young Filipina translator, who is also tasked with creating the subtitles for his film. As the only two people who can communicate comfortably with each other, the two develop a friendship that gradually turns into something more.

Taken scene by scene, Gitling is a beautiful film. The cinematography is striking while the tension and chemistry between the two leads give the film an emotional pulse. This isolated manner is where the film works best. It finds subtle and relatable ways to portray the different languages of love even when words aren't used. The silence between the characters is just as expressive as their conversations and the film captures those moments particularly well.

The problem is that Gitling sometimes forgets to build a more cohesive story around those moments. It becomes so focused on what it wants to portray that it doesn't always give enough attention to the backstories and supporting elements that could have made the relationship feel more believable and the narrative more connected. The biggest issue for us is how quickly the relationship between the translator and director develops. One day, they're strangers meeting for the first time and the next, they're already beginning a budding relationship. If a longer passage of time is meant to have passed, the film doesn't communicate that progression effectively enough. As a result, the emotional development can feel rushed.

The supporting cast also proves to be a slight detriment to the film's atmosphere. While the two leads deliver muted and relatable performances that fit the film's tone, some of the supporting characters come across as artificial and over-the-top. Fortunately, these moments only happen occasionally and don't significantly disrupt the film's overall vibe. While not perfect, Gitling is moving at its best moments. Its greatest strength is how it finds intimacy in the smallest details, in words, gestures, glances, and even silence. It may not fully develop all of the ideas it introduces but it offers an unconventional look at how people connect even when language gets in the way.

Rating: 4 reels