Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Olivers Review

This is rather late as it’s been four days since I watched the movie at Gateway Cubao, but suffice to say I’ve been writing this post in my head ever since and I’m fairly itching to get it all out, so here it is, albeit I may have lost some of my thoughts since then.

At any rate here they are bulletpoint style. WARNING: If you haven’t seen the movie, there are spoilers!

• At no other time did I feel the blogging community has played such a pivotal role in influencing people than at the promotion of this movie. Jill and I were excited to watch if only because people like Pam, and even Jessica Zafra herself, who btw is also doing the subtitles for it, were literally screaming their heads off in praises, so the only natural thing to do really is to revert to sheep mode and go forth. Naturally.
• I would personally recommend it myself, albeit less enthused.. in fact at second thought, with some measure of being guarded. Make no mistake though, I truly enjoyed the movie. It was interesting, it was fun, it was revealing, it was thoroughly engaging and there is hardly a moment where your interest wanes, not obliging the fact that production values were less than perfect. However, it is not amazing, at least not deserving of the jump – out – of – your – seat -and – applaud kind of reaction I would have expected from some of the reviews.
• I would venture to say that the real reason why this movie is so well received is because it is such a terrific departure from the spoonfeeding, insert – dramatic – music – here – to – cue – crying style typical of Filipino dramas, where a five minute closeup of Judy Ann’s wailing face or a slapping scene between Cherie Gil and Sharon Cuneta whilst mouthing unbelievably dramatic quotables is considered fine acting.
  
  Rather, here we are treated with Maxi realizing his fate while pouring one less cup of rice in the rice cooker after his father’s death, hence causing him to rush to the aid of Victor the cop (JR Valentin) to try and avoid yet another grievous loss. Here we have ponderous moments when the family sits in contemplation of the eldest brother’s murderous act, his father seething with rage without needing to scream a single quotable.
  
  Here we have a most powerful scene, when the eldest brother, the least likely to do so, decides against revenge to instead take care of Maxi, by looking at his other brother straight in the eye, as if to convey how suicidal revenge would be, and who then, would take care of Maxi after?
• I would use the word ‘amazing’ to describe “Ang Pagdadalaga” in the context of how it makes one feel empowered via encouraging us, the audience, to think – in itself, the complete antithesis of what a Filipino movie is, especially a dramatic one. I can’t even remember if there was music at the background when a highlight moment comes along.

  If you missed a spot, it was because you weren’t paying attention. You weren’t supposed to be tinkering with your cellphone. You weren’t supposed to be chatting with your partner. You’re there to watch and understand the trials and tribulations of the young Maxi, as he goes about trying to protect the people he loves even as they try to kill each other. If you watched the movie, and if you have a thinking brain, and a heart, then you would understand and appreciate the drama in the life of Maxi. That makes it amazing.

• Of course, it’s not all hunky dory. The actor portraying the father botched it up imho, occasionally forgetting his lines and looking like he’s – acting. After some thought, I realized that was such a waste, since the part is such a pivotal one, and would’ve been relished by a more competent actor.

  Finally, there are holes in the story that brought ???? in my head. What exactly is the beef between Bodjie Pascua’s character (it’s soooo hard to think of him other than Kuya Bodjie peddling McDo), and Maxi’s father? At the scene where he is executed, there was an attempt at an explanation, but it was edited out after the father said “Two years..” then a “BLIP” sound indicating a cut came after.

  What’s the deal between Victor and Maxi? Why was he crying under Maxi’s window? Is he in love with Maxi? Did he feel he lost a friend? If so, why was he pushing him away in the first place, instead of helping him out? Unrelated – is Victor gay too?

  Yet another ponderous scene was at the end, where Maxi sashays down the road off to school, ignoring Victor leaning against his jeep. You will never see a more poignant, ponderous moment I think, in Filipino movies, as the whole scene is just one 60 second shot from end to end, just observing Maxi as he walks down the road, hesitates, then walks again.

  However, the scene (and eventually the movie’s story), left me empty. Does it mean Maxi has ‘moved on’ from Victor? But they’ll be seeing each other everyday since they live in the same neighborhood right? What of the father’s execution, which Victor just watched without emotion? Does it mean he’s turned bad?

  What of Kuya Bodjie? Is he good? Is he bad? What about the murder the eldest brother committed? Is he getting off scott free? Will the brothers still continue their petty thievery? How will they continue their lives?

• As much as I’d love to applaud the excellent and poignant Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, I really don’t want to unleash a two thumbs up precisely because of those sordid points. It would have been alright if the movie’s focus was primarily on Maxi’s relationship with Victor, but the movie opened us up to the world of his brothers, father and Victor himself as well, hence I need closure as far as their lives are concerned.
  
  I would give this movie a 8 out of 10, even in comparison with foreign movies, and not in consideration of the less than worthy production values (although that cut scene during the execution’s conversation was unforgivable), but because of the holes in the story.
• Finally, a related, albeit surreal event after we left the movie house. Nathan Lopez was there:
  

  and of course we had to revert back to sheep with a little good ol’ peeekchure taking. Baaaaa. :)

Here’re some Ang Pagdadalaga.. links: the “Ang Pagdadalaga..” page, an article about the screenwriter Michiko Yamamoto both at Clickthecity, and a PDI interview.