It’s hard for any child to feel neglected by their parents. Whether they were abandoned or neglected in their own home, it can have a lasting effect on the child. In Keys to the Heart (2023), a Filipino remake of the Korean original streaming on Netflix, Joma is struggling with his childhood upbringing when his mother reconnects with him. She had abandoned him early on and he had to fend for himself. After being thrown out of his gym for flying off the handle and losing his cool, he is now a washed-up boxer trying to find his purpose. Does he manage to? We unpack the ending of Keys to the Heart, which, be warned, contains major plot spoilers.
At this point in his life, Joma did not expect his mother to search for him, let alone convince him to spend time with his younger brother. After a drunken accident, Sylvia offered her home so Joma could recover. Joma had to get to know his brother Jayjay in a different way. Even though he wasn’t really his brother, the connection was still there. While he was living with his mother, he tried again to work at a gym to make enough money to get back on his feet.
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Slowly Joma and Sylvia’s relationship improved and she did open up to her son about the hardships she faced. Once children become adults they understand what their parents go through to protect them. In Joma’s case, he was incredibly resentful towards his mother because she ran away and left him after his father continuously abused them both. His mother ran away and even wanted to take her own life. That is something he didn’t know as a child. And again, the perspective changes because children can see their parents as actual human beings and not just their guardians.
Keys to the Heart Ending Explained
How do Sylvia, Jayjay, and Joma stay together?
Sylvia, unfortunately, weaved a very tangled web. She never told Joma about her condition and used him to take Jayjay to his rehearsals or competitions. Towards the end of the film, Joma catches his mother in a lie and finds out that she is undergoing treatment. He felt used because she didn’t reconnect with him because she wanted to see him. She reconnected with him because she needed someone. And, realistically, it could have been anyone.
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Joma was working here and there at gyms trying to find something steady. He had regained his confidence during sparring and was ready to take on more. For Sylvia, both of her sons were doing very well and were becoming successful. Before Joma found out, she really thought that she could have had a family again, but he was furious with her intentions. Sylvia was very honest with him about the reason she ran away and she even tried to contact him afterwards, but he kept running. He always takes the easy way out and runs away from any situation. Even in this case, he didn’t feel like he could take on the responsibility of his brother. So, he left them there.
Once Joma saw his brother perform he had a change of heart and knew that he needed him — more than his mother needed him. After forming that brotherly bond with him in such a short period, he realized that he would be staying for Jayjay and not for Sylvia.
Eventually, Joma forgave his mother and promised to look after Jayjay, even after she passed. Sylvia could go peacefully knowing that her son was taken care of and that Joma had forgiven her.
What did you think of the ending of Keys to the Heart (2023)? Comment below.
