Not only for the late teens and 20-something

Film review: I Do

MANILA, Philippines - Eyeing the late teen and early twenty-something market is Star Cinema’s I Do; and given the rich, depthful screenplay and assured director’s touch of Veronica Velasco, the film has a strong chance to appeal to a broader mainstream audience. And it would well deserve to achieve that; as the film belies its rather slapstick, cliche-ridden start, and evolves into a film that successfully balances romantic comedy entertainment on one hand, and a more serious look at young pregnancies and marriage, and the clash of cultures within the Filipino milieu, on the other hand.

Yumi (Erich Gonzales) is preparing for her thesis defense at university, daughter of characters portrayed by Pokwang and Dennis Padilla, who’s basically a junk dealer, specializing in bakal. Coming from a lower middle class family, she enters into a relationship with fellow student Lance (Enchong Dee), the niño bonito of a conservative upwardly mobile Chinese family; whose parents (Ricardo Cepeda and Isay Alvarez) and lolo (Jun Urbano) see him marrying a nice Chinese girl. Complications arise when Yumi gets pregnant, and while Lance is steady in his love for her, family pressure and financial dependence both wreak havoc on the relationship, and what hopes for marriage the two lovebirds may harbor.

At the outset, the film is played purely for laughs, with one set-up after another evoking knowing laughter and smiles. Even if the situation could be considered serious — the unexpected pregnancy, and their problematic plans for marriage — the film stays true to this comedic vision. Yumi mistakenly eats the fruits left for dead ancestors at Lance’s traditional Chinese home, when thinking of names for their child, they poke fun at how English first names with Chinese surnames result in unintended humor, like Edgar Allen Pe. The cliches like being unable to control one’s appetite, and going into uncontrollable crying fits are also mined; and to be frank, at this point, I found the film entertaining in an earnest, but lowbrow, manner. And this is followed by vignettes centered on just how expensive it is to get married nowadays.

When Lance suddenly disappears days before the planned wedding — this despite the objections of Lance’s parents — the film changes tone and nuance, becoming something more substantial and serious, without losing its comedic edge; and kudos to direk Veronica for managing this delicate balancing act. It’s at this juncture that the film comes into its own, making insightful social commentary, even if in a light manner. The camera loves Erich, here Filipina morena beauty is one of the film’s true assets. Enchong holds his own, ready to take on comedic and dramatic moments with the same enthusiasm. The support cast is a strong one, adding texture to the film’s fabric; and I especially enjoyed Jun Urbano as the Chinese patriarch. After films like The Last Supper and Inang Yaya, it’s good to report that Velasco has successfully made the transition to mainstream movie making, and we look forward to her future projects.