Yes, the exploiting was being done by this filmmaker who has some really complicated daddy issues. In the beginning she appeared to trying to keep an open mind and do a proper documentary film; however, it quickly disintegrated in that she completely lost sight of her subject, lost any semblance of objectivity, and turned the whole film around to be all about her and her rage and resentment about her dad not being what her fantasy of a dad should be.
Her father had found the possibility of having happiness and a loving family for the last few years of his life (he was in bad shape, so it won't be that long) in the Philipines and she did everything she could to ruin that. The filmmaker showed us the grinding poverty the young bride came from, she showed us how much nicer the girl's life was with Dale, she showed us how the whole family had embraced her dad and cared for him, and made sure he was taking his meds properly, grooming and eating properly. In return Girlie got to live in a much nicer place, enjoy a few luxuries she had never before known and further her education. Everyone seemed happy with the arrangement. April appeared to be extremely jealous and perhaps worried that her dad would not have anything left to leave her as an inheritance. We got to see how Dale lived back home in Kamloops - all alone in a mess in an awful house with no one to care for him. April certainly wasn't stepping forward to enrich his life and admitted that she didn't have much contact with him there. So anyone given the choice would rather have a higher standard of living in a nice climate in a large loving family with a young woman adoring him than live all alone and sick in crappy house in the cold of Canada, of course. She said she couldn't afford to help him, yet had manicures, expensive camera equipment and clothing and was able to travel extensively, even bringing her daughter along.
The filmmaker showed no respect for her subjects, including things that he had asked she omit, not taking the camera off Girlie when she asked her to in Hong Kong when the poor girl was crying and April continued to harass her, and even showed a lack of respect for the law by filming in a government building in Hong Kong which had a sign posted prohibiting photography inside!!!!!! You didn't even have to be able to read the language to understand it because it was a camera with a red circle around it and a line through it!!!!
April was only concerned about her own feelings about what was going on. She would rather her dad die sick and alone than happily in the Philipines, just so that her judgemental, moralistic views could be satisfied. Honey, it didn't happen in Canada. The rest of the world is not living our privileged existence and have to do things differently. Maybe Girlie would like to have a manicure and camera like you have and take for granted. April resented that her dad was giving those things to Girlie instead of her. She wanted her dad to love her, but how can you love someone who is so nasty and disrespectful? You at least owe your dad respect just because he is your dad, and if you're not loving to him, why do you think he should be loving to you? You could at least wish your dad a bit of happiness at the end of his life. Not everything is about You, April.
I was glad when Dale finally stood up, took off the microphone and walked away. He had tolerated an awful lot from April, and had even left his beautiful wife to meet her in Bali and she didn't appreciate the effort he made at all. He thought she had come to reconcile. She just wanted to dictate how he should live his life and yell at him. She wanted him to live in lonely misery and Girlie to go back to her horrible poverty. What a pathetic person.
The film was totally engaging - a train wreck you can't take your eyes off. Thought-provoking. Yes, April, it is too bad that situations like that exist. It's not just sad for the young women, as April seems to think (exploitation and all that), but also for the lonely old men. Too bad their families don't take care of them.
Her father had found the possibility of having happiness and a loving family for the last few years of his life (he was in bad shape, so it won't be that long) in the Philipines and she did everything she could to ruin that. The filmmaker showed us the grinding poverty the young bride came from, she showed us how much nicer the girl's life was with Dale, she showed us how the whole family had embraced her dad and cared for him, and made sure he was taking his meds properly, grooming and eating properly. In return Girlie got to live in a much nicer place, enjoy a few luxuries she had never before known and further her education. Everyone seemed happy with the arrangement. April appeared to be extremely jealous and perhaps worried that her dad would not have anything left to leave her as an inheritance. We got to see how Dale lived back home in Kamloops - all alone in a mess in an awful house with no one to care for him. April certainly wasn't stepping forward to enrich his life and admitted that she didn't have much contact with him there. So anyone given the choice would rather have a higher standard of living in a nice climate in a large loving family with a young woman adoring him than live all alone and sick in crappy house in the cold of Canada, of course. She said she couldn't afford to help him, yet had manicures, expensive camera equipment and clothing and was able to travel extensively, even bringing her daughter along.
The filmmaker showed no respect for her subjects, including things that he had asked she omit, not taking the camera off Girlie when she asked her to in Hong Kong when the poor girl was crying and April continued to harass her, and even showed a lack of respect for the law by filming in a government building in Hong Kong which had a sign posted prohibiting photography inside!!!!!! You didn't even have to be able to read the language to understand it because it was a camera with a red circle around it and a line through it!!!!
April was only concerned about her own feelings about what was going on. She would rather her dad die sick and alone than happily in the Philipines, just so that her judgemental, moralistic views could be satisfied. Honey, it didn't happen in Canada. The rest of the world is not living our privileged existence and have to do things differently. Maybe Girlie would like to have a manicure and camera like you have and take for granted. April resented that her dad was giving those things to Girlie instead of her. She wanted her dad to love her, but how can you love someone who is so nasty and disrespectful? You at least owe your dad respect just because he is your dad, and if you're not loving to him, why do you think he should be loving to you? You could at least wish your dad a bit of happiness at the end of his life. Not everything is about You, April.
I was glad when Dale finally stood up, took off the microphone and walked away. He had tolerated an awful lot from April, and had even left his beautiful wife to meet her in Bali and she didn't appreciate the effort he made at all. He thought she had come to reconcile. She just wanted to dictate how he should live his life and yell at him. She wanted him to live in lonely misery and Girlie to go back to her horrible poverty. What a pathetic person.
The film was totally engaging - a train wreck you can't take your eyes off. Thought-provoking. Yes, April, it is too bad that situations like that exist. It's not just sad for the young women, as April seems to think (exploitation and all that), but also for the lonely old men. Too bad their families don't take care of them.