When we think of prisoners, aside from orange outfits, images that come to mind are prolly the dancing prisoners or the lasy-loving ladies from the TV Series "Orange is the New Black".
Much of scenes from Pinoy TV series or movies involving prison usually revolves around drugs, brawls, and escapes. Not this one, though. This is a family-friendly film which is the Filipino adaptation of a Korean hit from several year ago.
Aga Muhlach plays Joselito "Lito" Gopez, a mentally challenged father who just want to give his daughter what she's always wanted, a Sailormoon bag. A misunderstanding and a freak accident lead to Lito being accused of rape and murder, landing in jail without much of a proper trial.
His daughter (Yesha) eventually gets sent to a convent while Lito has to contend with the challenges of prison life, including an unfriendly warden named Johnny San Juan (John Arcilla), as well as his 4 other cellmates who also readily believed the accusations against him and want to make his life hell: Sol (Joel Torre), Bong (Jojit Lorenzo), Choi (Mon Confiado), Celso, (Soliman Cruz), and Mambo (JC Santos). However, a chance to save someone's life lands Lito in a favorable situation leading him to see his daughter again, with her being the catalyst for changing the lives of people around her and Lito.
I could not almost actually see anyone else playing the role of Lito so commitedly like Aga did. Possible options would have been Allen Dizon and Alan Paule but let's focus on Aga and how he completely disappeared into the role especially when he's making funny faces with Yesha or breaking our hearts when people around him are just so heartless and all he can do is beg. Xia, in her first major dramatic film role, can certainly match Aga's energy. Even though it did not win, the consistent dynamism of the cast as well as their impeccable chemistry makes them very deserving of the Best Ensemble Award. Even roles with smaller screentime like Candy Pangilinan as the nun (a funny one like in Jowable), Say Alonzo as the teacher, Garry Lim as the guard, and Yayo Aguila as the stepmom, were also memorable. Of course, who could forget the cameo of Mark Anthony Fernandez who experienced prison life for real anyway?
What I liked about this film even though there ìs almost deviation from the original is the way it ended. Now, I cannot spoil it here but I can say it reminds the audience of people that will always be near and dear to us, so real that we can hug them even if they are not physically there. It is kind of open-ended which gives this adaptation its unique quality. Nuel Naval was able to temper the heavy melodrama with conedy so it didn't end up cringy and dragging.
My favorite scenes were of Sol transitioning from grumpy to happy as well as that Sailormoon dance scene. Of course, who could forget that iconic Dec. 23 scene that may even make a stone shed tears.
Miracle in Cell No. 7 is not just entertaining and touching, it also reminds us that people who have mental disabilities deserve fair treatment and just because things went south, they definitely should not be the ones people point fimgers at.
It also reminds us that like Yesha, we should never stop fighting for justice and we should be aware of what is happening around us, especially if this involves people getting arrested and killed without due process.
It is just right that the 1997 setting of the movie was kept since we can ask ourselves now, what would we have done if this situation as real and we have the power of social media to make our voices be heard so no innocent person has to suffer again?
No comments:
Post a Comment