agmtw logo
search
Scarecrow (2015)

Scarecrow (2015)

A simple but emotionally charged Filipino morality tale with lots to say

7.9

Movie

Philippines
Ilocano, Tagalog
Drama
2015
ZIG MADAMBA DULAY
Alessandra de Rossi, Erlinda Villalobos, Julio Diaz
120 min

What it's about

The search for a missing watch instigates the painful quest for the truth in Belyn’s and her son’s life.

The take

Made with the modesty and authenticity of modern indie cinema from the Philippine regions, Scarecrow (or in the Ilocano language, Bambanti) uses the disappearance of a watch to paint a vivid picture of faith and judgment in a small town. There is no formal legal investigation into this supposed theft; what guides these characters instead are an unwavering belief in religion and folk traditions, and long-repressed resentment toward those who choose to disturb the peace. It quickly becomes evident that this witch hunt targeting a single mother (an incredible Alessandra de Rossi) and her son is about something else entirely—unresolved grief, economic struggle, and the fear and prejudice that the middle class can still harbor towards the least privileged among us.

Comments

Add a comment

Your name

Your comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.

8.1

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

System Crasher (2019)

A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.

9.0

Forgotten Love (2023)

The stunning third take of the classic Polish pre-war melodrama

7.7

A Silent Voice (2016)

A coming-of-age movie that circles around friendship and the atonement of a boy

8.7

Wind River (2017)

Sicario's screenwriter directs this story of murder in an Indigenous reserve

9.4

Incendies (2011)

Part melodrama, part war thriller, Incendies is gorgeous and heartbreaking from the first scene

9.9

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Shyamalan meets Black Mirror in this hugely entertaining, visually inventive apocalyptic thriller with a killer ending

8.2

Cold War (2018)

A quiet Polish masterpiece with ravishing music and dazzling visuals

9.2

Short Term 12 (2013)

Sweet, slow-moving, and possibly life-changing, this American drama shines the light on the chaos and crises of social work in America

9.9

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.