I spent most of my childhood with my grandparents. Maybe it was one of the reasons why Lolo and the Kid made me so emotional and nostalgic throughout its run time. The Netflix film drama film, directed by Benedict Mique, centers around Lolo, the grandfather, and the Kid, a young boy. Lolo and the Kid live on the streets where they pretend to be poor to get people’s sympathy and as soon as people put their guard down, Lolo and the Kid rob them. It’s their way to survive the miseries of the world. But something changes in Lolo’s heart. Lolo decides that the Kid deserves a better life and arranges for him to live with a rich and loving family. It’s a huge change from their rough life on the streets. Benedict Mique’s film talks about how this decision affects their bond and whether they ever come back together.
Spoilers Ahead
What was the relationship between Lolo and Kid like?
Lolo was an old, troubled man who lived on the streets and was often consumed by his depression. Lolo drank heavily and had no one to care for him. His loneliness drove him to despair, and at one point, he even considered ending his life. But one night, just as Lolo was about to give up on himself, he heard the cries of a child—Kid, who had been abandoned by his parents. Seeing Kid gave Lolo a glimmer of hope. It felt like he finally had a reason to live and someone to take care of. From that moment, Lolo took Kid under his wing. He fed him, cared for him, and brought him along wherever he went. They became inseparable, like partners for life. As Kid got older, Lolo began using him to gain sympathy from wealthy couples who were unable to have children as they hoped it would help improve their situation. They would charm these couples and make them emotional by having Kid call them “sir” or “madam” or “Mommy and Daddy” and act like the polite, sophisticated child they wished for. Once the couple agreed to adopt Kid, he would stay with them during the day and then, at night, steal valuables from their homes with Lolo’s help. They’d sell these items to a man named Fatty, and use the money to get by. Their days were spent in a sleazy motel, singing karaoke, and enjoying the occasional amusement park ride. It was a rough, but oddly contenting way of living life. Even though Lolo was using Kid to make ends meet, he still cared deeply for him. He taught Kid how to act sophisticated and helped him learn the ropes of their scheme. Kid looked after Lolo, helping him deal with his drinking and making sure they both got by. But deep down, Lolo felt guilty. He knew it wasn’t right to use Kid like this, and even though their life was tough, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was wrong for taking advantage of an innocent child. Through it all, what mattered most to them was their bond. They wanted nothing more than to stay together forever and take care of each other as “partners forever.”
Why did Lolo decide to leave Kid to the rich couple?
Life was going smoothly enough for Lolo and Kid until they set their eyes on their next “donor”—Ms. Sandra. She was a wealthy single woman living alone in a rich neighborhood. When she saw them struggling on the streets, she offered them a place to stay and even suggested she adopt Kid and send him to school. Having come from a troubled background herself and spent time in foster care, Sandra knew the value of education and wanted to give Kid a chance. Kid had always wanted to go to school after he used to see other children with their books and wonder what it would be like. But whenever he mentioned it to Lolo, his grandfather would dismiss it. Lolo used to say that school was a waste of time and insisted that Kid would learn everything he needed from the streets. Having been through school himself and seeing how life has always been tough on him, Lolo didn’t believe in education. It was like he wanted Kid to follow in his footsteps. Despite Sandra’s offer to give Kid a better future, Lolo selfishly chooses to keep Kid with himself. He was afraid of losing his source of income and couldn’t bear the thought of Kid leaving. Kid also thought Lolo was his partner and was looking out for him but didn’t see the selfishness behind it. One day, while targeting a wealthy gay couple, they were caught in the act of stealing. As they tried to run away, Kid was hit by a car, and his head started bleeding. This terrible incident shook Lolo to his core. He realized just how selfish he had been for using Kid for his own benefit. To make it up to Kid, Lolo took him on a special trip to the beach, something Kid had always wanted. They took many pictures with an old Polaroid camera where Lolo captured their last moments together. Lolo promised Kid that he loved him deeply and that their time at the beach would be a cherished memory of their good times together. Later, Lolo met another couple who had lost their son to cancer. Seeing Kid reminded them of their child, and they wanted to adopt him and raise him as their own. Lolo saw that they could provide Kid with the life he deserved—education, love, and stability. He realized that if Kid stayed with him, he would only face a life of theft and despair, never knowing the happiness or opportunities that Sandra or this new couple could offer. Even though Kid cried and pleaded to stay with Lolo and insisted they were “partners forever,” Lolo knew it was best for Kid to go to a loving home where he could have a real chance at a better life. With a heavy heart, Lolo decided to let Kid go in the hope that it would give him the future he deserved.
I thought that maybe Kid and Lolo would never see each other again. But then, we see Kid all grown up, living with the couple who adopted him. He’s now a successful, working man who graduated from school. One day, Kid gets a call from the hospital about Lolo. All this time, Kid had never been able to find Lolo or see him again. Lolo had never visited him either. So, Kid goes to the hospital and finds Lolo lying in a bed, older and paler, but emotional upon seeing him. They decide to spend some time together to relive their old memories—minus the stealing. They visited Fatty, went to the amusement park, and sang karaoke just like they used to. As they were singing their hearts out at karaoke, Lolo passed away right there before Kid’s eyes. It was like Lolo had been waiting for this final moment to see Kid one last time before he could let go. Kid was heartbroken, especially when he found the Polaroid pictures Lolo had taken. Among the photos from their beach days and merry-go-round rides, there were also pictures of Kid’s life milestones—his birthday with his new parents and his graduation from school. It seemed like Lolo had been quietly watching over these important moments, even though he never approached him. It was clear that Lolo had kept his promise of being “partners forever,” right until the end.
