February 16, 2024
Angel (Audrey Avila) and Lexi (Cess Garcia) had been very close friends since high school. They promised each other that they would not be separated from each other. However, when they got older, Angel's eyes were opened to the joys of sex, and began to prioritize her new relationship with spoiled rich kid Eric (Rome Guinto), the son of a Congressman. One night, Eric sexually assaulted Angel in the car, and the unthinkable happened.
It was only after the two girls were seen running out of the scene of the violence in the parking lot that the opening credits began to roll. The girls relocate to another town and rent a stall in the public market to earn a living. However, it would not take long when the irrepressible Angel hooked up with a local guy named Lemuel (Mon Mendoza). Worried that the past would repeat itself, Lexi was worried for her friend, but her words of concern fell on deaf ears.
This was the third of a series of shorter (less than 50 minutes) films that Vivamax releases every Tuesday. The screenwriting credit went to head writer John Carlo Pacala and writer Nigel Santos. The plot of the story was very, very simple, just right for a short film. If there were no sex scenes, the whole film would be over in only 15 minutes or so. The plot twist was not complicated, as you can see it a mile away.
No script was too simple or too cheesy or too nonsensical for cult director Roman Perez, Jr., as he still called his shots in his signature lush style. His outdoor scenes with DP Albert Banzon looked especially good, particularly those shot in the bright sunlight with greenery in the background. Too bad these were few and far between in this one. This style was best seen in his more sweeping projects like "Salakab" (2023), "Putahe" (2022) or "Adan" (2019).
The three actors in the lead roles were more or less stuck with those one-dimensional personalities for the whole film. Audrey Avila's Angel was a happy-go-lucky type, friendly to a fault, always ready with a smile for the men. Cess Garcia's Lexi was the suspicious and jealous type, aloof to the point of rude, her face in a constant scowl. Mon's Mendoza's slimy manner and naughty smirk marked him with red flags early on. 2/10.
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