Over the years I have watched a lot of coming of age films most of which have focused on teens and usually ended with the boy getting the girl or vice versa! Fish Head takes a slightly different approach where the main character Milo, a young Filipino-American boy tries to find his identity in modern America.
Much of the film revolves around Milo’s daily life where his simple recounting of a family story in school opens him up to ridicule and bullying by some of his class mates even to the point of giving him the name fish head.
And while Milo struggles with his identity he is not without love and support which comes from Lorena his immigrant, single mother, who is beautifully played by Aina Dumlao casting a forlorn yet strong figure in Milo’s life.
There is little doubt you can’t help feel a little sad while watching this film and while there are moments of lightness when he’s lost in his dreaming watching the clouds, but the true solace comes in the strength and courage Milo shows in overcoming what life throws at him.
There is little doubt you can’t help feel a little sad while watching this film and while there are moments of lightness when he’s lost in his dreaming watching the clouds, but the true solace comes in the strength and courage Milo shows in overcoming what life throws at him.
The true star of this film is probably the story itself although Madison Rojas does play the part of Milo to perfection, with the overall cinematography both excellent fitting for this type of short.
Final words
Even though this film does not have a lot of upbeat moments, touching on a topic that is not always clear to see, there’s a lot of goodness in this film and if you get a chance to watch it watch it then do, if just to remind you what it was like growing up and for some it wasn’t always easy.
Rating: 8/10