Direk JP Laxamana on why MaThon’s chemistry is a 10/10
MANILA, Philippines — Despite last year’s public scrutiny surrounding Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings, their first film together, “Sosyal Climbers,” soared to No. 1 on Netflix Philippines — suggesting that the off-screen drama had little to no effect on their on-screen appeal. As of Monday (March 3), it entered the international streaming platform’s Top 25 Global Movies, according to director Jason Paul “JP” Laxamana, who shared the good news in a social media post.
The romantic-comedy follows Maris as Jessa, a real estate agent, who falls in love with Ray, a financial advisor. Struggling to make something out of their lives, the couple fall victim to a scam that leaves them drowning in debt. Desperate for a way out, they reinvent themselves with fake identities to infiltrate high society, hoping to reverse their sorry situation — but at what cost?
Meanwhile, when asked if the past controversy involving MaThon — their loveteam name — ever made him concerned about the film’s reception, the director of romantic hits like “100 Tula Para Kay Stella” (starring Bela Padilla and JC Santos) and “Between Maybes” (with Gerald Anderson and Julia Barretto, a pairing then that sparked intrigue post-release) told The STAR that he never even brought it up with his lead stars. For him, their private lives were none of his business.
“I personally don’t want to mix the personal with the professional,” he shared in an exclusive online interview.
However, direk JP acknowledged how local showbiz often fixates on celebrities’ personal lives — sometimes at the expense of their craft. While he understands that this is how the industry operates, he prefers not to feed the frenzy, so to speak.
Instead, he focused on the effort Maris and Anthony put into their first lead roles, following their tandem’s breakout in the series “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Their on-screen chemistry is unmistakable, lingering even through the film’s extended kiss scene at the end — which, as direk JP revealed, was captured in just one take.
Read on:
What inspired you to come up with the story and what themes did you want to explore in “Sosyal Climbers”?
“The basic premise was already there when I was invited by Star Cinema to co-write and direct ‘Sosyal Climbers (SC).’ During development, I started envisioning it to be not just about a couple fooling their neighbors by pretending to be rich, but about a couple who, in a way, are ‘fooling’ each other by not being honest with what they truly feel regarding the disappointing status quo of their relationship.”
How did you balance these serious themes with romance and humor?
“We knew from the start that one of the main selling points of ‘SC’ would be the tandem of Maris and Anthony. Taking a cue from their goofy but romantic tandem as Snoop and Irene in ‘Can’t Buy Me Love,’ we designed the tone of the movie to cater to their fans’ expectations of a blend of humor and romance. But since ‘SC’ is a movie in which Maris and Anthony are the lead stars (instead of supporting characters that only serve as comic relief), we made sure there would also be a whiff of melodrama and thriller in order to provide a rollercoaster of emotions.”
Were there any references or pegs from real-life social climbers or pop culture that you infused into the story?
“I’m not sure which specific bits of information my co-writers and I consciously included in the final draft of the story, but some case studies we looked into include Russian con artist Anna Sorokin; the film ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ starring Will Smith, which was based on the life of con-man David Hampton; and biotechnology entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes, who was convicted of fraud for misleading investors into believing her company developed some revolutionary blood-testing tech.”
Can you share the story behind this collab with Star Cinema? Who approached whom first? What was it like working with them and is it the first time?
“Star Cinema called me and asked if they could pitch to me a project. Back then, I didn’t know it was a Netflix film. After hearing the premise of the film, I immediately said yes because I found the concept to be refreshing for a Pinoy romcom. When I found out it would be Netflix’s first original Filipino film with ABS-CBN — meant for global release! — I got even more excited, and pressured at the same time.”
This is Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings’ first lead movie as a loveteam. What made them the perfect choice for Ray and Jessa?
“The sensational following that they made as Snoop and Irene in ‘Can’t Buy Me Lov’ is just cherry on top. For me, their excellence in their craft alone was enough to see them as the perfect choice for Ray and Jessa. It’s like there’s no role they couldn’t do!”
What was it like directing Maris and Anthony? How would you rate their chemistry (like on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest) and why?
“I found it very easy. They understood their characters well. They even got an acting coach to polish their acting before we started shooting — something which I didn’t even require, but they did nonetheless for the sole love of craft. In spite of their crazy schedules (taping for ‘Incognito,’ attending to brand commitments, etc.), they always came to set aware of the intention not only of the scenes, but also the project as a whole. I do give very specific instructions, but I give them enough freedom to do ad libs as they see fit — and they rarely miss! I’d rate their chemistry as solid 10. Words can’t express exactly why. Just watch their scenes together and you’ll see the magic I’m talking about.”
Were there specific scenes where their chemistry surprised you or elevated the material beyond what you envisioned as director/writer?
“There were these certain raunchy scenes in the movie. I’m not going to spoil them, but you see, I myself get shy when directing intimate scenes. As a result, my instructions can be somewhat scant. But even though they haven’t done raunchy scenes in past projects, they gave it their all, and didn’t make me feel like I have to step in to convince them to do it right. So professional!”
There’s so much anticipation and curiosity about the film also because of what MaThon went through last year. Did you ever worry about the reception of the audiences to the film because of it? Did you get to talk to your lead stars since then? Although in the past, your Gerald Anderson and Julia Barretto film, “Between Maybes,” was also much talked about. How do you normally deal with these things?
“I personally don’t want to mix the personal with the professional. (So, no, I didn’t talk to Maris and Anthony about it at all, as their personal lives are beyond my concern). Personally, I think people are too obsessed with the personal lives of artists, in that the artistic aspects of entertainment are often overshadowed. I understand that’s just how Philippine showbiz works, but I prefer to not perpetuate it.”
What was the biggest challenge in bringing “Sosyal Climbers” to life?
“How to make a good movie in spite of the pressure coming from many facts: that it’s one of Netflix’s first original Pinoy films; that it’s MaThon’s first movie as leads; that it’s meant for a global release and, thus, represents the Philippines in the global scene. The shoot also happened when the Eddie Garcia Law started being strictly enforced. I do support it, but the staff and crew had to get used to adhering to it while still making sure we get enough quality coverage.”
What do you hope viewers will take away from the film beyond the entertainment value?
“That true love can only exist between people who don’t feel the need to wear masks just to feel they’re worthy of each other’s love.”
- Latest
- Trending
Exclusive
