'Happy Homes ni Diane Hilario' is a comedy thriller on community displacement

Despite its title, the Happy Homes tenement - owned by Diane Hilario (played by Angeline Quinto), her ex Chris (Luis Alandy), and his father (Teroy Guzman) - is far from joyful, as one tragedy after another unfolds amid the looming threat that its residents may lose their home.

- By JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA

Now showing in cinemas with a discounted price of P230 in Cebu and other provincial areas, “Ang Happy Homes ni Diane Hilario” follows Quinto’s titular character, a nurse who has a stake in the residence through her late parents. She resists the idea that their place should be sold to a property developer, a sale supported by Mayor Philip Go (Richard Yap) and his congresswoman mother, Mila Go (Sherry Lara), who both used to live in Happy Homes.

Despite the building’s shabby state and constant police surveillance due to its reputation as an alleged hub for criminals, Diane remains firm that Happy Homes is a diverse community and that displacing its residents, at least abruptly, would be unwise.

The film opens with Diane arriving at Happy Homes on New Year’s Eve after a long shift. Even though she is exhausted, she walks around the compound, reminding residents to celebrate the occasion in the courtyard while staying cautious of outsiders.