Set to collide with effects-heavy Hollywood motion picture this week is a whole new spectacle and wonder, Broken Blooms, written by Ralston Jover and directed by Louie Ignacio.
This artistic and cinematic collaboration of Jover and Ignacio, bankrolled by Bentria Productions, deserves your hard-earned pesos, and here are the reasons why.
The narrative weaved by the screenplay writer Jover is its biggest seducer and motivator. It showcases the life of a typical Filipino family who has to deal with extraordinary domestic scenarios and situations. Here, we get to see the characters and their strengths and weaknesses, courage and resolve, thoughts and processes, love and romances, and anything and everything that reveals the humanity and morality of men. Also, the pandemic state of affairs adds a dosage of reality that not only stings but bites and slaps.
There are current issues in Jover’s narrative that are harsh and painful but cannot be denied. The sacrificing and not asking for anything in return kind of one-sided love is a universal experience of most gay men who prefer straight men as lovers or partners. That a platonic friendship is not alien to two men where one is all macho and the other a fairy queen. The recklessness of youth, and their raging hormones that often lead to early, unprotected sexual exploration with pregnancy and early marriage as consequences. Swift solutions often lead to more detrimental conclusions. And how most common of people survive the end of days pandemic with guts, faith, family, and the truest of friends.
The other reason why this is satisfying cinema is the emotional integrity and gravitas that all the actors gave to their respective characters, and Ignacio’s genius and direction plus the acting prowess of his cast equals career-defining and award’s worthy performances.
The film’s trio con brio are Jeric Gonzales, Therese Malvar, and Norman Balbuena. And as always, effortless in their acting competence are Royce Cabrera and the Philippine national actress, Jaclyn Jose.
Gonzales’s level of acting is akin to that of the late great Jay Ilagan and Malvar’s is similar to that of Amy Austria. The dynamic acting duo shares a lot of moments that leave a lasting impression. Whether they are in a lovey-dovey thingy, confrontation, or ending what needs to be ended, the manner that Jeric and Therese out into goo use the playing truth card, is sublime.
And Balbuena, who is known as Boobay, I daresay, is a shoo-in grand slam winner for best supporting actor come awards night season. Boobay lords the screen and steals the thunder in one dramatic outburst scene that received instantaneous and electric applause from the premiere night audiences.
Kudos as well to Mimi Juareza and Lou Veloso who are proof that there is no such thing as a small role for superlative actors.
Broken Blooms, showing in cinemas nationwide on December 14, is satisfying and riveting cinema from Ralston Jover and Louie Ignacio, and is without a doubt, one of the year’s best.