#babagwa

I’m quite certain there’s such a thing as a “festival hangover”, the frisson that is watching new films buoyed by the steady stream of tweets and reasonably late writings. It happens all the time, with almost all film festivals I’d say. What we have now, though, is the ability to lull ourselves through this difficult phase: to watch films from previous editions of the same festival in the hopes…

  Nakakapagtaka kung bakit parang galit lagi si Joey Paras sa Babagwa. Bading ang character nyang si Marney pero parang walang ka-liga-ligaya sa buhay nya. Na-realize ko na baka kasi ramdam na ramdam ni Marney ang social injustice na nakapaligid sa kanya. Si mayor na nakatira rin malapit sa ilog, hindi i-de-demolish ang bahay tulad ng sa kanila. Kaya siguro ganun na lang ang contempt nya sa mga mayayaman. The society he lives in is ruled by the panlalamang sa kapwa principle. This is probably why explodes at Greg's (Alex Medina) suggestion that he, Marney, cut his commission. He's so angry about having to make numerous fake Facebook accounts and buy lots of SIM cards. Being a person of limited means, this is perfectly understandable.

  Marney knows that society is unfair but it's not equality he's after. Ano pa ba ang paki nya sa 'social justice' kung pangit na nga ang bahay nya, i-de-demolish pa? Edi wala na. 

Marney is familiar.

Kapag sumasakay ka sa kahit anong public transportation, minsan feeling mo hindi ka tinatratong tao, 'di ba? Isa ka lang naglalakad na 20/50-peso bill na kailangang makipagsikisikan sa kapwa 20/50-bill. Bilang pasahero sa isang shuttle/bus/jeep, minsan nararamdaman mo na walang pake ang driver o kunduktor kung male-late ka na, comfortable ka pa, may dignidad ka pa ba kahit na napaka-compromising ng position mo sa shuttle/jeep/MRT. Parang ganun lang si Marney. He looks at people not as human beings but as instrument/means of his dubious, pernicious livelihood. Rich people = source of income. To be fair, Marney doesn't just victimize strictly the moneyed; he cons middle class fools, too.  

Marney is devoid of love. And how could he have love? He looks atrocious and his demeanor is so foul. Love, for people like Marney, is a free bucket of Red Horse + sisig combo. His eyes twinkled, his aura just absolutely lit up when his co-conspirator offered him and Greg this heavenly combo. Ito lang yung moment na makikitaan ng ligaya si Marney, kasama yung moment na fini-flirt nya yung tall hunk sa apartment na i-re-rent nya kuno. 

Babagwa (2013)

An Internet scammer falls in love with a wealthy old maid while trying to swindle her using a fake Facebook profile.

Director:  Jason Paul Laxamana

Pulling Strings by Jansen Musico

Babagwa (2013) D: Jason Paul Laxamana S: Alex Medina, Joey Paras, Alma Concepcion, Kiko Matos, Chanel Latorre, Nico Antonio

Bam (Kiko Matos) is a wealthy young bachelor seeking companionship on Facebook. It's no tough feat, given his background, features, and wishy-washy sexual preference. How can you not trust a pretty face, even if he's being sly, even if he's demanding enough money to bankrupt you?

It's easy to compare JP Laxamana's Babagwa to Joost and Schulman's Catfish. The similarity is evident: deception via Facebook. But that's about it. Catfish deals with the deceived party, a Nev searching for his online Megan. Babagwa, on the other hand, turns its lens on a group of deceivers, who use social networking to weasel money out of the lonely and desperate. By exposing the other side of online identity fraud, Laxamana is able to create a slightly new way of seeing the typical “Facebook film.”  While others seek to uncover fraud, this one builds it.

Bam is the online creation of a pair of two-bit crooks, Greg (Alex Medina) and Marney (Joey Paras). Through him, they get enough cash to make ends meet. Marney uses his share to give his folks a better life. Greg struggles to do the same. Marney is the brains of the operation. Greg is the voice, the sweet talker luring their targets into their web. Their operation is fool proof, that is until Greg falls in love with his mark, a spinster named Daisy (Alma Concepcion).

Laxamana is a witty storyteller. He chooses to give Bam a face on film when he could have easily discarded him in lieu of showing just Greg. Laxamana gave Bam a purpose. He's part of an elaborate setup, not just for Greg and Marney's scam, but for the film's final twist, which isn't all that surprising. Though the film's big finale is predictable, Laxamana is able to pique his audience's interest until the credits disappear. Not only is his story well-written, his cast is also impeccable.

Greg's conflict, being the film's pivot, would not have worked without Alex Medina. His and Joey Paras's performances are of the same league. They snugly fit into Greg and Marney's shoes, playing their strengths and exposing their vulnerabilities with precision. Alma Concepcion also fits her role perfectly; her voice and her heavy lidded eyes are suited for the flirtatious Ms. Daisy. Even the supporting characters embodied by Chanel Latorre and Nico Antonio are nice additions. They give tired stereotypes off-kilter revamps, making for some amusing moments on screen.