"Wan-Tu-Tri" breaks the surface
Review of Carlo Obispo's "1-2-3"
All photos are taken from 1-2-3's official trailer on Facebook.
Carlo Obispo’s “1-2-3” is a story that feels so familiar. The first few minutes are reminiscent of Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s “Sa Pusod ng Dagat,” and during the latter part where the film takes place in the deep parts of the city, you can’t help but think of “Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag.” Yet, “1-2-3” is not your typical slice-of-life drama.
The film opens with a young boy, Luis, underneath the beautiful sea of Silag, in search for fish to sell. Meanwhile, Luis’ younger sister, Lulu, is busy trying to get into local singing competitions for it is her dream to be a singer.
What follows is a gripping drama of an unwavering, driven, innocent country boy who is in search of his younger sister, as she gets hauled away to the big city. He finds his sister, but going back home will not be an easy task.
With the hefty topic of child prostitution and pedophilia, it is not the heavy drama type of film one would expect. Obispo injected the film with comedy and lightness to balance the emotional weight of the story.
“1-2-3” showed a fairly good amount of how young girls and boys were enticed by recruiters, and exploited as they are hooked with different foreign old men just because they don’t have the power to fend off for themselves. The film displayed how the young children are trapped, metaphorically, via the leashes around their necks, and being inside a house that doesn’t have sunlight. Moreover, the girls are separated from the boys. The girls were for the old foreign men, while the boys are for the old men or women. You can infer that men are not only for the women, but for other men’s pleasure too.
With the natural acting of the three child leads Carlos Dala (Luis), Barbara Miguel (Lulu), and Therese Malvar (Reyna), they were able to hold their own among more experienced players, like Patricia Javier who played Mrs. Kim. Barbara Miguel in particular is commendable for transforming from a plain country girl into a shameless sex worker.
Carlos Dala shines the brightest, who renders a quiet yet powerful portrayal. His Luis is the epitome of the best kuya one can ever have.
Carlo Obispo's “1-2-3” is indeed a bittersweet ode to such beautiful stage in life called youth. Carlo Mendoza’s cinematography captured the breathtaking seas of Silag in contrast to the scenes in the city, which were both exceptional. The riveting musical score heightened the sensitivity of the story, allowing for further poignancy, given the material.
Disclaimer: the contents of this review are solely the opinion of the writer, and does not necessarily represent the whole PLM Film Society.
