Amigo - A Piece of History in an Almost Forgotten Era

In 1900, the small village of San Isidro was invaded by a tenderfoot battalion of young American soldiers headed by Lt. Compton (Garret Dillahunt). They freed Spanish friar Padre Hidalgo (Yul Vazquez) who’s been held under the care of Rafael Dacanay (Joel Torre), cabeza of the barrio. The American forces pursue the revolutionary troops of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, but Compton’s conciliatory tack is to “win hearts and minds” instead. “We’ll pay for every item or service that you provide to us,” informs the leader.

But the colonizers soon make the life of the local folks difficult that even the cabeza, a land owner himself, has to plough his own land. People’s mobility is restrained. They are not allowed to stray far from designated demarcations. Joaquin, Rafael’s son, escapes and joins his uncle Simon (Ronnie Lazaro), a revolutionary. Martial Law is declared, and farming animals are butchered. God is indeed busy elsewhere.

At one point, Rafael is caught leaving his boundaries (he is taken to the hills by the revolutionary soldiers asking for a couple of things: 10 cavans of rice and a treacherous decoy). As punishment, he gets imprisoned by the Americans. This necessitates selection of a new cabeza. The principles of freedom-loving America rest on the concept of the democratic process. So an election is held. To the consternation of the invaders, Rafael once again wins. He is freed to lead his wards.

Soon thereafter, the town falls into a state of harmony. Relationships are built, and even romance blooms between soldiers and the local girls. But peace and harmony don’t always constitute the real motivations of the Americans. When Col. Hardacre (Chris Cooper) surprises San Isidro with a visit, he isn’t amused with the post-Fiesta countenance and the laidback demeanor of its inhabitants. In his mind, they are in a state of war, and barrios are being attacked and plundered. Soon thereafter, Rafael Dacanay is re-arrested, charging fast into events that would escalate into a bloody encounter. The cabeza is forced to spill the whereabouts of the guerilla soldiers. What becomes of his brother and his son? And more importantly, will Dacanay free himself from an impending execution?

Joel Torre resurfaces as one of the country’s most insightful actors. His “Amigo” persona is imposing without being arrogant; congenial without being cloying, and Rio Locsin beautifully complements the cabeza’s cordial demeanor. Garret Dillahunt’s Compton perfectly straddles his conflicted persona: is he the tough “warlord” or the gentle savior? Yul Vazquez’s Padre Hidalgo is such a joy to watch, one of my favorite performances from this spectacular ensemble.

There are a few sore points though: John Arcilla’s Nenong is too caricaturish. His betraying persona would have been more sinister with a little more subtlety. Ditto with Irma Adlawan (as Nenong’s wife Josefa) who, in her limited screen time, churns out an over eager characterization. This has been a habit borne out of theatrical crutches. On celluloid, Adlawan tends to evince ripples in the water when there should only be a reflection. Lee Meily’s camera work is like a breath of fresh air, crystal and in some ways affectionate. Had they decided against the use of the digital medium, cinematography would have turned out even better.

Chris Cooper is mean-spirited Col. Hardacre.

And no, Kyle, this isn’t a worthy companion piece to the amateurish “Baler” (2008), another historical film set at the end of the Spanish occupation in a little town in Aurora. I cringe remembering the emotionally hollow exposition, fake mustache, iffy production values and maladroit Spanish lines and delivery. “Amigo” is too polished and insightful for the unfair comparison.

Told in intimate narrative strokes, Director John Sayles carefully sculpts a town filled with distinct personalities, adequately fleshed out in modicums of amusing anecdotes. The character studies delve into human emotions ingrained in the cultural mores that run a small town. What’s even more interesting is how Sayles is able to capture the Filipino spirit as a community; how Sayles ensnares the gist of a captured spirit. And when a film master like Sayles is able to bridge his vision into something very Filipino, I am simply in awe!

Ronnie Lazaro is Simon.

Master film director John Sayles

Pitas and The Cinema of the Poor

After failure to pay for yet another monthly rent, Regie (Francine Prieto) and her children were thrown out of their house. They find themselves in slum's urban squalor just a stone’s throw from Malacanang Palace, where locals are constantly showered with “presidential” give-aways (noodles, rice).

Jasmine (Kristel Moreno) is discontent, but is constantly comforted by her mother’s (Francine) optimism that her beauty will eventually take her away from the slums. But the slums is a tenuous and testy environment for a lovely young girl like Jasmine. After all, the streets are populated by the dregs of society. One of whom is the amorous Rafael (Sid Locero) who sneaks glances at Jasmine's way. Rafael is unemployed but occasionally dabbles on tandem snatching with his friend Joven (newcomer Greggy Santos) – thus the title “Pitas”, a street slang for snatching. For a menial commission and territorial protection, he takes his “harvests” to Cabo (Bembol Roco), a former policeman (the barangay chairman) who has his eye on Jasmine’s mom, Regie.

It isn’t long before Rafael catches Jasmine at her most vulnerable. After getting her drunk, he takes advantage of her stupor, succeeding in what would be the movie’s second attempt to find cinematic context – “Pinitas mo si Jasmine.” says Joven.

This is where tension is eventually derived. Lourdes (Rio Locsin), Rafael’s prayerful and hardworking mother decides to go home to Marinduque. She is stricken with cancer. But she learns that Jasmine is tagging alone with Rafael. The girl is pregnant! What becomes of Regie’s dreams for her family? Something has to crumble from these convoluted situations, and it does, rather awkwardly!

I was mildly surprised by the easy storytelling that characterizes the first half of Joey Romero's “Pitas”. It is peppered with socio-political issues (if a tad too obviously) : politicians buying people's allegiance in the form of P500 pesos and a packet of noodles; presidential propaganda about government programs like the TESDA; desperate women turning to foreigners (like Regie's exes - "isang Kano, isang Hapon, isang Italyano") to flee from the clutches of poverty; companies shutting down or letting employees go; petty crimes as part of the slum's daily existence. Vignettes of apathy flash before us in enumerated succession, we felt like this was part 2 of "Puntod" shown last January!

The story is something that you’ve seen several times before! New artists bring life to these predictable narrative strings. But the cast deftly buoy up the story’s nondescript substance, so we take interest while watching the film.

For years now, Indies (aka the Digital Wave) continually mine the country’s abject poverty, sensationalizing the demoralization of a sick society. Exploitation cinema is upon us! In fact, by accounts of the foreigners who get to watch Filipino films abroad, Philippines is a metropolis of makeshift dwellings whose source of inspiration is the numerous rosaries we can pray from Wednesday to Sunday and back; the Philippines is the land of nubile macho dancers with prevalent homosexuality at every nook and cranny; we are a country of slum-dwelling, cockroach-infested (Claire Danes, hello!) whorehouses; our cinema halls reek with semen, our toilets are populated with flesh hungry critters; and our houses are inhabited by those who dream of leaving this god-forsaken land. I am so proud. Thank you, cinema.

Spoilers here!

What confounds us is how the story around Jasmine's rape was played out! There was a rape, wasn't there? With Jasmine lying down a bed heavily inebriated but obviously conscious, Rafael forces himself on her, as she struggles against his groping advances. Cut to the succeeding scene. We see Jasmine and Rafael walking side by side in blissful harmony. Regardless of how much I am attracted to a guy, once he forces himself on me and takes advantage of my vulnerability, I shall not see him as my Romeo. In my book, he shall cease to be the decent man that I was once attracted to, and I will not be found walking hand in hand with this scum who slithered his way inside me! That much is what common sense dictates!

The second half of "Pitas" down to its ending is a conundrum. The storyteller suddenly loses steam and ends his film abruptly, and I am not talking about the screening time! First, Jasmine had to participate in a dance contest, but even before the number is over, she falls down the floor. Lahat nakatunganga - while blood splatters down her pants! Of course that is more cinematic instead of just waiting for the performance to end and have her fall backstage, is it? Yet, despite her unfinished dance routine, “nanalo kayo anak”, reports her optimistic mother Regie! They suddenly forget that Jasmine just lost her baby! But what the heck, not only does she get a winning trophy, she also gains a scholarship for an unfinished dance number! Clap clap clap! Isn't life grand? Now tell me this isn’t escapist?

Sid Lucero is good, in fact he’s better here than in his mawkish teleserye for ABS CBN ("Magkano Ang Iyong Dangal"). Kristel Moreno looks fresh – perfect for the titular picking, but she is really out of her depths. No worries, it’s her first movie! She can get better! She does remind me of Mutya Crisostomo. Rio Locsin and Bembol Roco give gravitas to what should otherwise be a trite story. Francine Prieto looks a bit too heavy on screen, which should make her the perfect mother? Not really. Miss Prieto, despite her seniority in the business, looks too raw for her role. She needed spice, needed some shaking, needed more emotive insight to make her a believable, boisterous mother of three.

On the eye candy side, the film introduces Greggy Santos as Joven, Rafael’s friend and literal partner in crime. Santos is too goodlooking and too “scrubbed” to be taken for a slum dweller. But just when you’re about to write him off, he comes up with a very comfortable performance. He struts his stuff with confidence sans the awkwardness of a newcomer. He becomes the snatcher from the slums who drops neologisms like “namumuki” like it was vernacular. Ateneo should be proud!

Greggy Santos - Strong screen presence. Good thing Sid Lucero is a seasoned and confident actor!

Joven runs for his "harvest" (pitas) and hands it to Rafael. This is one snatcher that makes me blush! LOL