Chito Rono's "The Trial" - Riveting Cinema

Ronald Jimenez (John Lloyd Cruz) is 27 going 13; mentally that is. But he is about to graduate seventh grade. Helping him catch up with school work is Bessy Buenaventura (Jessy Mendiola), his kind-hearted teacher and the school president’s niece.

Though Ronald is “developmentally delayed”, his functionality approaches “borderline normal”. Still slower than most, he is able to perform tasks and function like most people. In fact, he's a brilliant gardener in school where he works part-time in exchange of his admission. Back home, he lives with lesbian “father” Santi (Sylvia Sanchez) and cross-dressing “mother” Nando (Vince de Jesus), his biological parents. He is surrounded by the oddball horde who populates the comedy bar where his parents work.

Meanwhile, grief palpably percolates in the Bien household still reeling from the death of son Martin (Enrique Gil) who perished in a vehicular accident. It has been a year since but Amanda (Gretchen Barretto) is still wrapped in her own guilt and loss that she is unable to move on.

Hubby Julian (Richard Gomez) just wants to start anew so he wants their marriage annulled. To facilitate this, he has decided to sell their house, an idea that Amanda resists, “Ayokong makalimutan si Martin.” But a sensational rape case sweeps the Biens out of their own misery.

When a rape video involving Ronald and his teacher Bessy goes viral, Amanda gets asked by her friend Lallie Laperal (Vivian Velez) to help out. Amanda is, after all, Bessy’s godmother. Meanwhile, Santi and Nando pursue Julian to handle Ronald’s case. Unknown to the grieving couple, Ronald was Martin’s good friend when he was still hosting his Payatas feeding program. Ronald is even privy to some of the Bien’s internal dispute, not the least of which is Julian’s past infidelity.

To honor the memory of her son, Amanda convinces Julian to the take the case in exchange of her signing the annulment paper. Julian can only acquiesce. What happens to Bessy?  Did Ronald, who regularly watches porn videos borrowed from a friend, force himself on the only lady who’s shown him affection? Did he have violent streaks? The video (which shows Bessy parrying Ronalds’ advances) doesn't lie, does it? How can Bessy’s shouts (“Tama na, Ronald!”) be indicative of anything but rape?

As legal dramas go, Chito Rono's "The Trial" examines a world of flawed characters and dysfunctional families navigating a consciously litigious and supercilious society. It isn't easy to second guess its narrative trail. The story telling, from Enrico Santos and Kriz Gazmen’s script, is quite fluid. The build up towards the climax engages the viewer into one resolute viewing. As audience, you’re transfixed on your seat, with bated breath, while the plot gradually unravels into one suspenseful denouement.  Mainstream drama has never been this riveting.  

“The Trial”, inspired by a script originally written by Ricky Lee, is a pondering on intents and actions, of causes and effects, and how perception of truth is easily carved by man’s idea of what normal or abnormal is. In so many ways, our existence is defined by these scruples. Moreover, we’re made to scrutinize how some people face bereavement, palpably depicted in extreme contrast by Amanda and Julian’s behavior towards each other.

Grief is dealt with in different ways; some more destructive than others. The past, just like history, has its own relevance, as when Julian watches random videos of his family prior to the accident – quite wistfully gripping in its laidback demeanour. Looking back allows us to see how far we’ve strayed from our intended paths. I realize that there are situations far more devastating than the actual tragedy.

The movie romps away with superlative performances. Gretchen Barretto unexpectedly scintillates with devastating sincerity. In a role that’s conveniently a claptrap for overzealous sentimentality, Barretto is an enthralling study of thespic authority. You could feel her pain in every scene. When she finally runs after Ronald and remembers a similar incident involving her son, it becomes one of the most heart breaking scenes I've had to endure at the cinema this year. Suddenly you realize that it was Amanda’s moment of closure. If cinema were meant to move people like that, then you know it has served its purpose well.

Vince de Jesus, as gender-bending Nando, beautifully delivers a performance that shall define his acting career from here on. In fact, his scenes are high-wire acts, vacillating between comic and poignant (e.g. his valedictory scene with John Lloyd during their victory party). One of my favourite scenes involves Sylvia Sanchez as she recalls how Ronald was once bullied ("ang pula ng siopao"), ending up with blood on his forehead. This would be Sanchez’s most memorable, if uneven, turn as an actress. Unfortunately, her other scenes needed a bit of restraint because wrath or disappointment isn’t essentially realized by sheer auditory volume or nerve-popping histrionics. People don't always shout when hurt.

We’ve always thought of Jessy Mandiola as an adorable but bland pretty face. “Call Center Girl”, anyone? But not anymore. With this star turn, Mendiola is on her way to joining Star Cinema’s stellar league of A-list dramatic actresses (Bea Alonzo, Erich Gonzales, Angelica Panganiban, Iza Calzado, Maja Salvador) as she bowls us over with quiet power in "The Trial". 

Despite brevity of scenes (she is actually not seen in almost a third of the movie), her presence lingers in your head. 

There are several worth mentioning where she displays cinematic brilliance: her reaction after failing to answer a student’s question (about the difference between genetic drift and random mutation) while being observed by a CHED supervisor. Her deceptively “ordinary” scenes with her abusive boyfriend Benjamin Alves were likewise affecting. After all, what is there to fight for when someone you love has seen through your self-worth. Then there’s the scene when she tells Ronald, “Ikaw ang pinakamabait kong kaibigan sa buong mundo.” Mendiola, I suspect, is still evolving in her craft. Isn't that exciting for someone who’s a relative upstart in the business?

John Lloyd Cruz is a virtual force of nature. He inhabits Ronald Jimenez with fierce earnestness, it’s hard to presuppose his performance the way we can’t second guess persons with intellectual crutches. He is never predictable. Cruz, in attacking a character, combines intellect and intuition, and he’s quite consistent in it. His exquisite command of craft is evident in several scenes, like when he tells his teacher, “Ma’am Bessy, di ka naman okay, eh.” Or when he asks Gretchen how Martin’s younger brother isn’t Amanda’s son: "Paano nangyari yun?". Or when he realizes what Amanda’s asking, “Sikreto nga eh. Akala mo ha?” This list is long – and is thus proof of Cruz’s enviable commitment to his character.  

RESERVATION

We do have reservation about Vivian Velez’s character. She may have valid concerns, but she is compromised by a black-and-white characterization. “Punch line of the academic community?” Don't we just love hyperbole?

“The Trial” compels its viewers to sit back, if a tad uncomfortably, for an engaging narrative ride. It doesn’t allow passive spectatorship. You couldn’t help but dissect the motives presented by its characters – from Ronald to Bessy; from the grieving household of the Biens to the dysfunctional family of Santi and Nando Jimenez. You even find yourself examining Lallie Laperal’s motives – or her lawyer’s “too involved” attitude. With its mellifluous plot unraveling before your very eyes, you expect one perfect story, right? Or was it?

For the sake of discussion, allow me to nitpick. Bessy’s own intellectual inadequacy is so subtly suggested that we actually believe her predicament, i.e. that she’s also “slow”. Being that way, such individuals don’t briskly form conclusions or react with proficient problem-solving skill. In the scene where Ronald and Bessy engage in sex, when Bessy saw a phone filming their liaison, she immediately “concocts” a scenario that would make her look like the victim (thus her repeated cries, “Tama na, Ronald.”) This reaction seems incongruent to that of a slow mind. Lesser mortals would just scoot, skedaddle and hide, not engage in improvisational dramatics. Did she actually anticipate a litigious scenario to unravel as a result of their indiscretion? She isn’t all that slow, is she? 

In another scene where Julian discusses his strategy to save Ronald from imminent incarceration, Sylvia Sanchez’s undue wrath seemed too extreme – her vocal histrionics almost dug a hole in my tympanic membrane. After all, she was talking to an illustrious lawyer who’s had years of experience - and who had to be pursued to take the case. You’d think she’d be circumspect dealing with someone who agreed to help – instead she flew off the handle! Who cared if their family would look eccentric before the court? Eccentricity won’t send them to jail. Wasn’t their goal saving Ronald at all cost?  

THE SLAPPING LAWYER

Now let’s discuss my "favorite" part. Attorney Patricia Celis, portrayed by the usually brilliant Isay Alvarez, meets Amanda for the first time. The lawyer carries undue vitriol, regarding Amanda with absolute acrimony. She's haughty and morose. You would think that Atty. Celis has a personal stake on the case. You’d likewise mistake her as the aggrieved party. As counsellor, wasn’t she supposed to approach the case with sobriety and rational savvy? Which lawyer involves herself in a slapping incident with a would-be witness? Talk about misplaced theatrics. But then Alvarez is a luminary in Philippine theater. How very apropos.

As for the scene where Ronald finally takes the witness stand, was Bessy’s admission from the audience gallery even admissible in court? (She was asked if Ronald’s confessions were true.) Shouldn’t she take an oath first – that she’s telling the truth and nothing but – before anything she divulges would actually amount to much under the court of law? What’s the judge doing while this drama was happening? Cogitating on her morning bowel movement? Was she dozing off? You see, more credible admissions have been deemed inadmissible under the wrong platform. How different is this?

The film boasts of a hundred and one messages that make us think. That misunderstandings don’t exactly define a bad relationship. That a person could be worth our affection despite his inadequacies. And so on. This much is true – “The Trial” deserves to be seen by anyone who claims to love good movies.

John Lloyd Cruz

Jessy Mendiola

Benjamin Alvez joining his Tito Piolo in ABS-CBN?

Enrique Gil

Erich and Enchong Captivate Audience in “I Do”

Do we really dive into marriage, all body and soul, without much trepidation? Regardless of how much we love another person with every strand and cellular component of our being, there will always be a part of ourselves wanting to remain unencumbered by commitment. People are, after all, born alone. We do not come into this world with a bunch of friends. This reality, though heavily ignored, emphasizes a person’s need for the occasional solitude. The concept of marriage threatens this. But we sometimes have to decide exclusively for ourselves, most especially when it involves a more immediate reason staring right back at us. But that is easier said than done.

A pair of young lovers learn the hard way.

Mayumi (Erich Gonzales) and Lance (Enchong Dee) don’t share the same thoughts on love. To her, it’s the inescapable hand of fate. To him, it all equates to choice. But one day, they meet at a friend’s wedding and a force more powerful than gravity drew them together. Theirs was a match made in heaven, until Yumi realizes she’s pregnant. This throws Lance out on a loop, but the young couple (who’s finishing college) eventually decides to inform Yumi’s parents (Dennis Padilla and Pokwang) who agree with their decision to defer marriage until after their graduation. But where does this place Lance’s close-knit, albeit clueless Chinese family?

While Lance finds it difficult to introduce Yumi to his parents (Isay Alvarez and Ricardo Cepeda), he nevertheless invites her to his angcong’s (family patriarch, and Lance’s grandfather) birthday party. She puts her best foot forward to charm their pants off. But it soon becomes clear that old family traditions as rigidly bigoted as some Chinoy families (“Ang Chinese ay para sa Chinese.”) are Yumi’s biggest stumbling block in her quest for acceptance. This doesn’t stop the couple from planning the big date (in a hilarious scene where Lance drops a ring and Yumi catches him kneeling down in front of her). This would take Yumi and Lance’s romance on a zany rollercoaster ride. Will they ever get to say “I do”?

Erich Gonzales shows why she deserves lead roles, and she does so with effervescent charm and an endearingly insightful take on Mayumi. In one scene, she cries with skeptical elation as Lance declares his affection, and all she could say was an adorable, “Di nga?” In another scene, she whimpers with a simple, “Ayaw nya kasi akong pakasalan eh.” Yet we feel the distress of someone who’s been dismissed many times over. Which other star can impart those salient emotions in conspicuously meager lines? I can only think of two names, and not more. Real talent indeed doesn’t need kilometric spiels to highlight an emotion, and it is in this essence that we truly adore the talent of this young lady!

Enchong Dee on the other hand complements Erich’s bubbly persona with his characterization of a pessimistic Lance. The yin and the yang would never function if both “elements” tip the same scale. Having said this, we are prone to emphasize that Enchong is an intuitive young actor, if only he doesn't fret like a child – or worse, a girl. In the film, Lance is a grown up man who can father babies. Indeed, in some scenes, he needs a little bit more “machismo” – a shot of testosterone, a flexing of the muscle; a more tempered, nay, modulated delivery. The production could have benefited by giving him swimming scenes where he could parade and flex his swimming muscles, just to emphasize gender assignation. It’s a long shot, but at least the audience is reminded that “Enchong is our man” - and not some childish cuckoo who talks to his car! And with a delectable swimming body like his, who would forget? Furthermore, legendary leading men like Rock Hudson and Cary Grant never had lips redder than their leading ladies, did they?

I’m also partial to the supporting characters. Dennis Padilla is particularly affecting. This observation is significant because Padilla’s role as Mang Caloy (Yumi’s father) is a comic one, but he effectively imbues it with the perfect paternal veneer. We laugh when he throws used appliances at the Tans (Lance’s family), then we shed a tear for his despair. Pokwang isn’t that successful, which is disappointing because I like her. Ditto with Melai Cantiveros who has always been such a darling on the small screen. She can ridiculously reduce me into stitches with a deadpan, “Over over” or “Chok”! Unfortunately, Melissa’s character is nothing but an irritating, inconsequential speck. Her presence in the movie is like walking on glazed tiles with scratchy grains of sand on your shoes!

Janus del Prado’s Bernard could have been amiable to the very end, but the writer should have known when not to over stay his character’s welcome. Alwyn Uytingco is turning out to be one of the industry’s most dependable character actors. We also like Jun Urbano’s angcong; the moderated grace of Isay Alvarez as Lance’s mother, and that darling Eliza Pineda who plays Lance’s youngest sister. The movie is filled with amiable characters and this is one of the reasons why the film works.

I do have an issue with the Chinese cultural preference that “Ang Chinese ay para sa Chinese lamang”. If that’s the case, it’s quite easy – and cheap – these days to move away to China. I won’t stop them, obviously! They are free to head back to old-world Communism and old-world practices they see fit. Any Chinoy who bears such prejudiced thoughts should rid themselves of all the Filipinos by getting the f___ off this country, di ba? Might as well make this country a "Philippines for Filipinos only". That had to be said!

Veronica Velasco, in her very first mainstream work as a director (Unitel who produced "Inang Yaya" is still considered an indie film outfit), doesn’t just pass muster. In my book, she soars the cinematic skies with a hundred and one colors. I am particularly pleased with her narrative style: her characters always beat nauseatingly recurring odds (Maricel Soriano’s household chores as nanny Norma in “Inang Yaya”; Jodi Sta. Maria and Victor Basa as the runaway couple who pretends to be husband and wife in “Maling Akala”; and the hilarious Joey Paras as the gay P.A. who lost a wall tapestry in “Last Supper No. 3”). Velasco's main characters are endowed with the virtue of patience, and this isn’t lost in Yumi’s character who suffered several rejections not just from Lance’s family, but from Lance himself. Sure, this may have turned tedious and even dragged the exposition in the middle part of the story, but the ultimate payback is nothing less than inspiring!

Enchong Dee: charm and sensitivity.

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

The good news is, when I watched the movie on a Thursday afternoon, I was surprised to find the huge theater almost fully occupied – on a dead hour. The bad news is, Erich Gonzales is allegedly starting to act like a diva on the set and elsewhere. Heaven knows I like this girl, but just like an over inflated balloon, such excesses will ultimately burst into nothing but tattered pieces of plastic. So let this be false! I don’t want to loathe her, as she’s too talented to be disliked.

And didn’t you hear that “I Do” couldn’t even muster a B-rating from the Cinema Evaluations Board (CEB)? The hearsay goes, “It wasn’t funny enough!” according to the reviewing board, which goes to highlight the range of brain activity among CEB’s flock. If they probably placed Gil Portes as this movie’s co-director or line producer, "I Do" could have surely bagged an A-rating! Di ba, “Pitik Bulag”? Di ba, “Two Funerals”? And yes, honey, I did a glowing review of the latter which goes to show that regardless of the quality of his films, any Gil Portes film – good or bad - will always merit an A-rating. Isn’t it about time that this sad excuse of a pseudo-ratings board is scrapped? That way, we can rightfully put their otherwise unemployed members out to pasture!

Enchong Dee should "man up" and flex is muscles, so to speak.