On ‘Sarong Banggi’

Like Melba, Jaclyn Jose’s character in "Sarong Banggi", I also engage in the past time of observing other people. I go out to the mall alone, and, with or without the money to burn, I hit the most populated places to watch people. It serves three purposes: I feel less alone, time passes more swiftly, and my mind keeps busy. And, like Melba, I also tend to go over the top in imagining other people’s stories–there is no point, after all, in coming up with dull thoughts, is there? Often, though, as Melba herself realized, what I imagine seldom beats what I find out to be real.

"Sarong Banggi" spans the one night a boy on the brink of manhood and an aging prostitute spend together. It’s Nyoy’s birthday, and his friends have arranged for a prostitute to give him his first taste of carnal pleasure. Despite his well-meaning buddies’ evident thrill, Nyoy doesn’t look so excited–and because Angelo Ilagan, the good-looking new actor that he is, holds the same expression for most of the movie, you do initially wonder if it’s an acting deficiency–but much later in the film, we will be privy to the reason behind the glum mug. Oh boy, will we!

For Melba, it’s just another job, and so she steps out into the glittery Manila night with her high heels, slinky shawl, and metaphors. She has an appointment with the boys in a Baywalk restaurant, and as she heads for the meeting place, we are treated to a voice-over of her thoughts. Upon seeing Melba, Nyoy’s friends find her too old for their taste, and they decide to go bar-hopping in Malate instead. But the brats neglect to tell her about their change of plans, so Melba ends up waiting for hours, giving us more of her voice-overs. Ultimately, Nyoy ends up meeting Melba alone, and they spend the night together–literally and figuratively. Now I’m not quite sure about the impact of this one night on Nyoy’s life, but I do know Melba’s will never be the same again. Oh boy, won’t it!

Just to get it over with, I’m going to say right away that Jaclyn Jose deserves all the praise and recognition she has been reaping for this role. I don’t know any other active actress right now who could have skillfully carried the film’s material on her shoulders. It was such a high-wire role that I don’t think it would have worked as well with anyone other than her. My only problem with her character has more to do with the script: her monologues are a bit too intelligent for her character, and some of her lines sound too scripted.

On the other hand, Angelo Ilagan has a long way to go in his acting career, but it certainly looks promising. After all, how many pretty boys get their acting break through a critically-acclaimed film? (Oh, wait, I can think of another one from the same production company: Nathan Lopez). Angelo’s acting is a little stiff, but then again, the script didn’t give him much room to move.

"Sarong Banggi" is the kind of film that haunts you, and not just because of the disturbing Oedipal twist. It touched me in two ways. First, I found it especially poignant how Melba’s character was transformed from observer to subject. At the beginning of the film, she’s always coming up with these strange stories about other people, and at the end, she’s silenced by her own story of the one night that completely changed her life. You think you know other people’s struggles–until you find yourself being swallowed by your own.

Second, I was touched by Melba’s most vile sin and then immediate, though strange redemption. As if it wasn’t bad enough that she was a prostitute who gave up her child as if it were candy, she just had to be the wretched prostitute who gave up her child and later took his virginity! But she grabbed at what little joy she could have by spending a few hours with him, and somehow redeemed herself with the sacrifice of gracefully letting him go without telling him the truth–what mother would want her son to carry that kind of burden?–in an act of love she had failed to give him once.