After one unfortunate day at his vegetable farm, Manong Pilo (Perry Dizon) was introduced by his childish grandson Ricky (BJ Lacson) to his new friend Razer (Ranzel Magpantay), a person with dwarfism who was the right-hand man of a hugaholic marijuana cultivator who went by the catchy codename "Haring Damo" (Dong Abay) and owned a cute little puppy he called Pechay.
Meanwhile, SPO2 Ariel Lacson (Cedrick Juan) was a young officer of the police department in Region 2. He was the son of a decorated police officer Antonio Lacson (Arrian Labios), who retired after contracting a neurological condition. Ariel liked publicity, so he volunteered for TV interviews, always making sure that his face and statement delivery were perfect for the camera.
This quirky film, written and directed by BC Amparado, was advocating for the legalization of marijuana, particularly for medical reasons. There was even a lecture about the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) components of cannabis. THC produces a high, while CBD does not. One needs to cross strains to achieve about an 18% CBD to make the leaf ideal for medical use.
It was rather tricky for Amparado to balance the benevolent effect of cannabis with the fact that marijuana is still considered illegal in our country. It was also tricky for him to balance his serious intent with the funnier aspects of getting stoned with weed. Viewers enjoyed laughing at those shaky visual effects and drawling speech patterns which signified that the character was high.
Cedrick Juan tries some comedy this time after his career resurgence last year, but his highlight was still a dramatic scene with his father. The standouts in the supporting cast were definitely Ranzel Magpantay as the energetic Razer and Dong Abay as the lovable Haring Damo. Lui Manansala showed a different persona as Sen. Vivian Delmar, who "looooved" farmers. The impact of Perry Dizon as the titular Manong was rather subdued compared to the rest of the wacky cast. 6/10.
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