August 6, 2023
Two 17 year-old college students, Jose Santos (Miggy Jimenez) and Simon Manuel (Dylan Ray Taleon), had been picked up by policemen when they were found hanging around a church where a bomb just exploded. They were there because they wanted to immerse themselves with the plight of disenfranchised farmers. However, the policemen who arrested them were accusing them of being terrorists.
The rest of the film followed other characters who were involved with the case of the two boys. Political science professor Victor Angeles (Jojit Lorenzo) was notorious for being an instigator for student activism. Social worker Jill Sebastian (Dolly de Leon) advocated for the boys against the biased police chief Gabriel Ventura (Paolo O'Hara). Helen Santos (Agot Isidro) brought Jose up by herself after her husband was killed in a political event.
Also featured in their own episodes were: senior professor Michael Sy (Joel Saracho), whom the university administration had tasked to have a heart-to-heart talk with Victor about his radical views and their proposed punishment; Ventura's wife Cora (Frances Makil-Ignacio) who has yet to move on from the death of her own son; and Atty. Emy Gonzales (Bituin Escalante) who had a serious tête-à-tête with Ventura about the boys' case.
Director Dustin Celestino had adapted his own Palanca-award winning full-length play to write the screenplay of this film, and the theatrical style of the writing cannot be denied. The structure of the play (and film) was somewhat like a chain, and felt like a series of powerfully-written one act plays playing one after the other. The scene most theater-like in execution was when as Cora got a sexual thrill as the torture of Jose played out in front of her.
The ensemble is composed of veteran stage actors, and everyone delivered topnotch acting work. Lorenzo's Victor was a conundrum as he taught things he'd never done himself. De Leon's Jill may look timid, but she dared stand her ground. O'Hara's Gabriel was chilling as Makil-Ignacio's Cora was unhinged. Escalante's lawyer expertly played both sides. Isidro's Helen was absolutely earth-shattering with her intense maternal passion.
Young actor Miggy Jimenez gets his biggest acting challenge of his career here, and he was able to hold his own. He played Jose as a typical well-to-do kid whose political awareness was naive and idealistic. His mestizo looks provided effective contrast with Dylan Ray Taleon's Simon who was from the lower income bracket. The effect of socio-economic status on the treatment of arrested suspects provided another level of thought-provoking discussion.
The quality of the writing was astoundingly astute and hard-hitting as Celestino presented both sides of the arguments in scathing and acerbic, yet eloquently- and elegantly-constructed, statements. Despite the seriousness of the topics, Celestino was still able to inject welcome elements of dark humor into each episode, all succeeding to elicit uncomfortable but welcome laughter from the audience to break the extreme tension.
The soundtrack only consisted of the dialogue, rightfully the main highlight of the film. The absence of any musical score made the proceedings feel more stark and tense. Practically each and every line will make you assess your own beliefs and attitudes about the various ethically-controversial topics brought up. The final scene left the door open for audiences to decide on the ending and process everything that they have just witnessed and heard. 9/10
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