A Filipino’s field of dreams

Ostensibly a buddy/petty crime caper film leavened with telling humor and pathos, I was struck at how the new indie digital film Big Time was coming to me as a very Filipino, socially realistic Field of Dreams. Without fail, every character in the film was driven by his or her own dream, his interpretation of hitting the Big Time. Whether it was plain material wealth and just paying the next month’s rent, embarking on a show business career, finding true love in the least expected places, a criminal "Don" seeking legitimacy and validation for his progeny by educating them in the US and hoping to place them in local politics, a son ironically wanting to prove his own worth in said world of crime, or economically-challenged parents aspiring for local beauty queen status for their daughter (at any cost) – each had his own version of how that elusive Big Time could be reached, and each has his own comic/tragic brush with the bite of reality and the heavy hand of fate.

After the onslaught of fantasy and horror films last Christmas, and what looks like this first quarter’s slew of mainstream romance-themed releases, kudos to Mario Cornejo and Monster Jimenez (and Arkeofilms) for reminding us that the basics of filmmaking still lie at the heart of making any film truly worth viewing. With Big Time’s miniscule budget, it’s the intelligent screenplay (Cornejo and Jimenez) , Cornejo’s deft directorial touch, the use of music (take a bow, Allan Feliciano), and the wonderful ensemble acting that makes this film a joy to watch. There are no special effects to ogle at, no lush romantic angle to gush over, no action sequences that leave us open-mouthed; and yet, while this is no landmark film or new benchmark for Philippine cinema, the film is a superb first effort at a feature-film, and is eminently watchable.

Reminiscent of Peque Gallaga’s Pinoy Blonde from Unitel Films last year, Big Time has that hip, ultra-cool slant that makes it such a natural for a young audience. At the same time, it provides us with strong, consistent storytelling that keeps us, "longer in the tooth" cinemaphiles, hooked. If Pinoy Blonde was a quasi-homage to Tarantino, Big Time is Guy Ritchie; more Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch, than Kill Bill. The tandem of Cornejo and Jimenez see the Coen Brothers’ creative synergy as inspirational and something to emulate. As with Fargo, there are Grand Guignol elements thrown in to provide visceral images and make us queasy. But it’s the shaggy dog quality of the plot developments and characterizations that truly sparkle.

As the two petty crooks who give petty crime a bad name, Nor Domingo (Jonas) and Winston Elizalde (Danny) are examples of inspirational casting. A veteran PETA actor/director, Nor plays Jonas, a typical Everyman, schemer and frustrated hustler, who teams up with the doofus Danny. Known more for his sexy roles in Seiko releases, Winston is a revelation – an affable man with a good heart, forced to enter the world of petty crime along with Jonas, as the only viable conduit to move up in the world. One of the opening scenes of the two robbing a sari-sari store with the same planning and forethought one would put into entering Fort Knox – complete with plastic figures representing each of them, and maps and diagrams put me in the greatest of moods for this film.

Michael de Mesa enters Christopher Walken of True Romance (by Tony Scott) territory with his portrayal of Don Manolo, the local crime lord. As brooding menace personified, Cornejo and Jimenez subversively mine this Don Manolo character with unexpected humor. As the son of Don Manolo, Jamie Wilson (Wilson) accurately plays the spoiled brat trying to be "little Don" to please his father and prove his worth even if it goes against the grain of his petulant, self-absorbed slacker persona. Ingenue Joanne Miller is Melody, Wilson’s secret "girlfriend," who inadvertently becomes the kidnap object of Jonas and Danny’s criminal dreams. That Wilson happens to show up and visit Melody while the kidnap is in progress becomes the stuff from which the absorbing cinematic mayhem ensues.

There are cameos sprinkled throughout the film, and while Jon Santos, Soxy Topacio and Ryan Eigenmann acquit themselves wonderfully, I have to make special mention of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza for being so game! To see is to believe, and so rather than reveal the routine Cornejo and Jimenez make our Manila Mayor go through, just watch the film and look out for this hilarious cameo. It runs for less than 10 seconds, but had the whole theater reacting with gleeful approval!

Arkeofilms is a six-year-old media production company that serves as a cooperative for young filmmakers and media practitioners. The award-winning short film Mansyon was produced by Arkeo, and if Big Time is the second indicator of the kind of production we can expect from Arkeo, they definitely are an outfit to watch out for, and hopefully, fulfill great expectations. In these times of predictable mainstream films and genre copy-catting, it’s refreshing to find an indie film that could work for a broader audience. Too much of the indie output are strongly made. But depressing stories, mired in great acting and literary adaptations can’t seem to find favor with that elusive wider audience. To Cornejo and Jimenez’ credit, this one gives us great laughter while providing food for thought. We can only hope that their reference to the Coen Brothers is not just wishful thinking.