A LOVE STORY: an armchair movie review

[kampanaryo_spy]

Day after my birthday i left for davao for some urgent concerns. And I had the chance to watch Star Cinema's recent offering, "A Love Story." This is my way of supporting the almost moribund film industry, which is not to hide the fact that i watch tagalog films because truth is: I do watch tagalog films.

It's been a while since my last trip to the moviehouse, and so please indulge me with this "armchair" (read: pseudo) movie review.

Now on its fourth week, the movie was watched by only a handful, which made the Gaisano Mall theater much, much colder.

the movie was a smash, in fact a couple of moviegoers spilled their guts on tv (all this while my mind screamed: HYPE! HYPE! HYPE!), saying hossanahs to the recent opus of maryo j. de los reyes, one of the few sensible directors we have around.

There was nothing in the story that hasn't been done or told before. Aga meets Angelica. They get married. Aga misses his wife who's busy being a flight attendant. Aga finds solace in Maricel's arms. Angelica knows about the affair and confronts Maricel. And Maricel...you get the idea.

if there was one "winner" in the movie, it was the script. (sadly, i didn't get the scriptwriter's name.) i liked the way the film unfolded, the way it shattered marital infidelity stereotypes, and most importantly i liked the way it presented the twist toward the film's end (think "The Sixth Sense"). In short, may shock factor talaga. Wagi!

no matter what the late Lino Brocka and the critics said about Aga's acting prowess, I don't like Aga that much as an actor. Could it be his voice that turns distractingly croaky in dramatic scenes? Dunno. Could it be his boyishness---his being a perpetual bagets---that somehow erodes the believability of the roles he plays? Dunno. Could it be that he's still pa-cute, and that he tries hard to show his dimples every opportunity he gets? Dunno!

But I've got to give it to Aga because he had his moments in this movie, and so good was he that I could hear Lino Brocka applaud from his grave. There were two pivotal scenes in this movie that, to me, would make Aga win the best actor derby next year, assuming of course that Piolo Pascual won't bamboozle him with sterling performance in the indie film, "Chopsuey."

the first scene was when aga broke down and told maricel soriano how he so hated his mom for abandoning his dad. and the other one was when he was very drunk and let it all hang out: his secret jealousy of his brother-in-law, his pent up emotions about his dad who kept on remembering his mom even if she left her, etc. Aga was superb in that scene that when he "magically" turned sober as the scene progressed, I forgot he was supposed to be drunk. Had Mario J. de los Reyes taken notice of this, that could have been a genuine tour de force for Aga.

Like Aga's, Maricel's acting here was erratic. And in some scenes, her voice, as usual, tended to distract. But Maria had some moments too that reminded me she is one of today's acting greats.

The best acting for me however came from two cameo performances by mark gil and baron geisler. Mark Gil appeared in barely two frames, while Baron, in a single frame and yet these two actors showed us how intense they could be even in such sterile scenes. Mark Gil most especially. Mark Gil's facial expression and delivery of his dialogue when he related to Maricel his life, the first time they met after they separated, was great acting, pure and simple. As to Baron (my fave actor in his age bracket), oh well, nilamon nya si Aga in their scene together!

Angelica was no match for Aga and Maricel. I just wonder how the film went had Angelica's role been given to either Claudine or Assunta.

Now back to the script. The scriptwriter mined the story for all it was worth. And i liked the way Aga's role was fleshed out. At first, you wondered why Aga kept on reminding his dad, who was afflicted with Alzheimer's, that his wife was already dead. This fact was repeated several times that when Aga blurted out to Maricel his anger towards his Mom, that's when you truly understand Aga's internal hell. And because of this disclosure, it wouldn't be hard later to accept that Aga left the nubile Angelica for the aging Maricel because by then, you had accepted that Aga must have seen in Angelica the trait of his mom that he so hated.

The "let's pretend" final scene of Aga and Dante Rivero (who was also superb in this film) was heartrending.

I'm glad I watched the film.
********

I just came home from watching another indie film: SIGNOS. it was worth it because of the scintillating performances of Ricky Davao and Irma Adlawan.

[kampanaryo_spy]

must've been a long time since i watched a film in the moviehouse because during intermission, a frog in a suit was shown doing a ray charles to tell the moviegoers not to ruin the movie experience with their cellfones and boorish behavior as though the theater is their sala.

i really had a good laugh with that one.

i wish people pay heed.

i'm a stickler for cellphone etiquette. my fone goes mute the moment i step into a movie house and other public places. i never carry my cellfone to church.

wala lang. =P~

[tab_lover]

yakatawa ako nan imo comment about aga pareho gayud nan sa isip ko..pacute gihapon..but i don't hate and/or dislike him..he's still AGA anyway hehe...as to Baron, iv never expected he could be that great na pati kaw yapahanga..although iv never seen him for a while after the "tabing ilog" days (haha!), an iya imahe para sa ako amo da nan wara ma utro "OA" kon sa ato pa, and as a result dili kon madayaw an kalabasan, pero curious ako makita an iya bag-o na kalaki
i saw the preview of the film spy thru youtube..sikira kakit-an ko yaon kay dugay na wara ako kakita nan pinoy films..not sure kon apil ba yaon sa Toronto Int'l Film Festival..sa una may entry sa gud nan movie ni maricel

[kampanaryo_spy]

tab,

i hadn't caught any episode of "Tabing-ilog" (which was a spinoff of "Dawson's Creek," right?) and so i can't comment on baron's acting then.

i saw so much promise in him when i watched "Anak" where he played Vilma Santos's son. then came this episode in "Maala-ala Mo Kaya" that i happened to watch where he played brother to an invalid John Pratts. His promise of being a good actor was fully realized in that MMK episode. i even dare to predict he'd win an award next year.

there must be something in drug rehab center that brings out the best thespic talent in a man. remember bembol roco and mark anthony fernandez? but i pray baron won't end up like river phoenix!

when an actor knows how to use his eyes for added bathos, then you know that you have a good actor in front of you. baron is that kind of actor.

tab, you should watch baron now and be surprised!

[tab_lover]

sakto kaw spy, an T.I. is pinoy version nan Dawson's Creek..pero D.C. da lang ako
i would love to watch him silabon sa madamo gihapon ngadi na pirated dvd nan intsik .....few years back on the interview with baron for the movie "anak", he said that his role on that movie was his first-ever serious one..i can recall now, yes!he did well..far better than that of T.I. pero dili gihapon ako kumbinsido naman curious ako ka kit-an siya..

spy, you mentioned the drug rehab thing..what's all about it?what happened?could you please give me more details?thanks

[kampanaryo_spy]

spy, you mentioned the drug rehab thing..what's all about it?what happened?could you please give me more details?thanks

bembol roco and mark anthony fernandez are two good actors who were once drug dependents. what i'm saying is, their experiences must have deepened the well na pwede nilang paghuhugutan ng emosyon, which make their acting intense.

baron came from a detox center and is now part of alcoholics anonymous.

as to river phoenix, guess you have to google him.

tabs, we make this thread sound like showbiz central! haha

[Alibangbang]

i pray baron won't end up like river phoenix!

What a waste!!! World-class actor at 23 and can sing too. Only to die of OD on the street of hollywood. Good kid with judgment that turned horribly bad.

He played one of the brothers on the tv version of the classic "seven brides for seven brothers" If only you could see him. Did you ever watch the dvd?

who's baron?

[kampanaryo_spy]

abb,

balitaw! what a waste really.

i've watched only two films of river: "running on empty" and "my own private idaho." sa cinemax pa gayud! makakadto lang ako sa manila, manghanap akon iya bootleg DVDs....hahahaha baya-baya daan pah-pahon ako ni secretary favila na yamalit akon pirated!

i wonder how robert redford's "a river runs through it" would have turned out if the role that went to brad pitt was essayed by river, the original choice for the role.

baron geisler is a young actor here.

[badung]

K-spy,

I also like Baron. I think he's a good actor. I saw the MMK episode you mentioned above. That was probably when Baron was at his best so far. I liked him and still do.

Two week-ends ago, we were at the mall to watch " A Love Story". But when we got there, SOLD OUT na. We decided to watch Rush Hour 3 instead. That was fun. I'm maybe mababaw but I liked the movie and of course, Jackie and Chris.

A friend told me she didn't like Maricel's movie. But I might still watch it tonight since you said you were glad you watched this movie.

[kampanaryo_spy]

tan-awa tabs, may ako na kakampi.

bads,

kuman sa gud ag na ako kakita nan MMK kay mutabi sa gud ako sa mangagoy nan bernis nan 5:30 pm, mo abot ako sa tago mga 10:30 pm. before taking a bath, mag rest ako, and that's the time na mo tan-aw akon MMK.

yes, i really like that MMK episode and am sure baron will win the catholic mass media award for best supporting actor next year for his heartfelt performance.

as i said, the best thing about "A Love Story" is its script. the movie is actually so-so, but it's still worth watching, if only to be inspired by aga that even at past 40, one can have a bod with to die for washboard abs! nyahaha.

[badung]

K-spy,

We're definitely watching tonight at 7:20 at the Agana Shopping Mall.

Also, Gary V is here for a concert at the University of Guam Field House tomorrow night. I've got a ticket already.

[kampanaryo_spy]

how was it, bads?

[tab_lover]

OMG! that's what i was trying to clarify.cos i definitely didnt have any idea about baron's drug/alcohol abuse..when u mentioned bembol and mark, i know from then they were once, i don't wanna say it but yes, addicted to substance..but baron..poor baron i didn't know that his once wholesome image would turn him into a rehab celebrity ...pero an importante he's open to get some help..dili gihapon spy kon huli DI BA??

spy, i am only familiar with river's younger brother, Joaquin Phoenix..pardon me about this but i really haven't seen any of his movies..but i know he died of heroin overdose..you're right, such a waste to have died of drugs!!

[badung]

K-spy,

It was light entertainment. And we liked it. It makes perfect sense that the husband ended up with the wife because afterall it is this relationship that needed to continue since they are going to have a child.

I can not tell, however, if the man loved the wife more or the mistress. He was actually looking for love instead of giving it. I have this belief that every lasting man-woman relationship involves the man making the choice, not because he had to react at something, but because it is what his heart so desires.

The reason why he got into the second relationship is because the first one was "on leave". If he really loved his wife, her frequent temporary absence is not an excuse for him to go into another relationship. No. Never. Why was the wife away, anyway? Did she have to work to buy her lunch?

I liked it when Angelica said something about not wanting to lose Aga for her child. To borrow from Kris Aquino, because the child is "defenseless."

Maricel's role, however, was not that of a typical kabit who will make you hate her. If the film had done more by showing additional scenes to make it appear that Aga and Maricel continued with their relationship, like seeing them having a good time, sa kabila ng lahat na nangyayari sa isang babaing nagdadala ng anak ni Aga, I believe the moviegoers' emotions of hate for Maricel and Aga would build up and make the experience more unforgettable.

At the reconciliation part, Maricel asked for forgiveness. But normally this doesn't happen. And so the wife's response was very light because it was something she wasn't waiting for. We saw Aga say something about regret to his father. But that was not enough, I believe.

The best part about regret is when Mark Gil asked for forgiveness. I was crying, K-spy. It came so genuine.

[kampanaryo_spy]

hi bads,

judging from your acute observations, i can sense a person with some skills in film appreciation. oh, i shouldn't forget that you came from ateneo's theater.

as i mentioned, the story shattered a lot of stereotypes involving a menage a trois, although the ending had to revert to commercial formula. as usual!

aga's character was complex and i saw him as a man who can't give love as much as he wanted to, no thanks to his mom who muddled his own concept of love. and so aga became bitter, hesitant to give so much of himself. this we understood because he didn't want to risk failure and become like his dad. this fear and this hate aga articulated in a brilliant monologue in bed with maricel.

and so when angelica had to continue working as a flight stewardess, aga construed this to be some sort of "breaking away" from the relationship. in a way, he must have felt a sense of deja vu, and he must've thought to himself: "am i looking at my own mother?"

then we began to sympathize (empathize) with aga!

Maricel asking for forgiveness was another shot at breaking stereotypes but angelica's reaction was. let's listen to her now: "hindi mo sya kailangan, kailangan ko sya." so very cliche!

I LIKED THE WAY THE STORY WAS TOLD---NOT IN THE USUAL LINEAR NARRATIVE. DID YOU?

all told, the film was a cut above the rest, given the recent spate of commercial film trash.