‘Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus’ REVIEW: The Line Between Longing and Obsession
‘Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus’ REVIEW: The Line Between Longing and Obsession
Obeng longs for Aileen in Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus (2018).
This review contains spoilers on Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus.
Dwein Baltazar’s Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus proves to be a hidden gem within the Philippines’ filmography among the masses. The film sets itself in modern day Quiapo and effectively immerses it’s viewers to the atmosphere with all the traffic and chatter heard in the background of each scene. Following the four characters: Caloy, Lando, Obeng, and Alex, the film revolves around their own experiences with the mysterious woman named Aileen. While each scene revealed the progression of the characters’ relationship with Aileen, by the end of the movie you would ask yourself; Who is Aileen? And what is she? Naturally, spoilers ahead.
Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus distinguishes itself from other drama/romance Filipino movies with its hint of something supernatural. And that element of the supernatural is the character Aileen herself. Her recurring appearances, her clean and unchanging uniform, and her ability to enchant these men proves that she is not your typical female lead. She manages to simultaneously involve herself in the lives of the four men at the same time with varying personalities and intentions.
Her qualities are very reminiscent of other supernatural female leads such as Junji Ito’s Tomie and Girl from Nowhere’s Nanno. These two characters are popular and known for their mysterious abilities and pasts who terrorizing those people around them. Similarly, Aileen is a mysterious character. These three characters all had similar qualities but different intentions; Tomie to torment men, Nanno to punish sinners, and for Aileen it was to involve herself in the lives of these normal people and emotionally lead them on.
Lando (left) in the presence of Aileen (right)
While it did not seem as harsh, Aileen definitely had a toll on the psyche of the four men. For Caloy, she was his muse for marriage and a better life but it came with the cost of debt with all the dresses he bought for her. For Lando, her seductive presence caused him to desire sexual intimacy once again and led him to having sex with his helper who had a husband abroad. For Obeng, she became his obsession that caused him to create a shrine for her despite being a common snatcher. And lastly for Alex, she was this idealized girl that gave him glee but also became a barrier for him to mend his relationship with his girlfriend.
All of these men subtly changed throughout the film; at first they desired for something and then Aileen came to give them what they wanted. Caloy wanted a wife, Lando wanted a sexual partner, Alex wanted a soulmate, and Obeng just wanted a comforting presence. While these men desired, their longings became obsession to the point they would have risked everything for Aileen. She was their tipping point between the line of longing and obsession. Aileen managed to insert herself to the lives of these men and made herself the center of their interest. She does this by changing her personality to adjust for these different kinds of men. Paired with her beauty and the men’s idealized persona for Aileen, they cannot help but fall for her. But by the end of the film, we can see the four characters go back to their normal lives with Aileen nowhere to be found.
Leading them on emotionally and then suddenly leaving is a very devastating feeling that could be equated to the modern term of “ghosting”. And for Aileen’s case, it seemed that when she left the four men, their memory of her also disappeared. This is mere interpretation, but even though they have forgotten about Aileen, their feelings would have remained and became residue to which might have fueled their initial longing/desire for something. This is how Aileen terrorized the lives of the four characters; by giving them what they wanted but never to permanently remain. Their obsession over Aileen became this afterthought that would have disturbed them for the rest of their lives; always reminding them that they once had the best, but maybe never again. But this also asks the question: was Aileen even real or was she just a hallucination from their deesires?
Aileen is still an enigmatic character since not much information is given about her. Her character was meant to be empty because all she served was a reward to the desire of the characters. But all in all, the film successfully shows an accurate representation of finding love within Metro Manila with the supernatural twist of Aileen. Her presence definitely had an impact on the movie as an unconventional female lead. Hopefully, more Filipino movies would incorporate more subtle mystifying elements such as this film. With the fascinating plot and amazing cinematography, Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus proves itself to be a masterpiece.
