Every now and then I come across a beautifully shot foreign language film which shows you humanity’s struggles in a world that is alien to ours. Metro Manila is thought provoking, completely engrossing, shows real emotion and is an excellent piece of cinema.
Metro Manila is the story of Oscar (Macapagal), a farmer who is forced to move his family from the idyllic yet problematic countryside to the big city of Manila in the hope of work and a better life. What they find is harrowing and the first half of the film goes from bad to worse as they struggle with their new surroundings. He works a day’s labour for a small meal, his wife Mai (Vega) reluctantly finds work in a strip bar and they live in a slum. One day Oscar lands a job for a security firm transporting cash boxes around the dangerous city with his generous partner and senior officer Ong (Arcillia), but all is not what it seems in this city of corruption.
This is a low budgeted movie written, shot and directed by Oscar nominated Brit, Sean Ellis, and for an independent film its scope is impressive. It is the story of what a family must do to survive in the face of poverty and despair, summed up by the line “desperate situations call for desperate measures. Think of the social realism of Ken Loach or Shane Meadows but on the other side of the world with a bit of action and suspense.
From the beginning there are themes of greed and corruption that only poisons men’s souls. Ong reveals he has a mistress, seemingly helpful men work out deals with corrupt officials to earn a quick buck by chucking families out on the street. Political corruption is also hinted at as van robberies occur at their highest during election season to fund campaigns. No one is morally pure but it’s impossible to be in such a vast city of sin.
These themes are juxtaposed by a reoccurring theme of faithm with “in god we trust being spoken at crucial moments and seen in neon lights high above the city. Oscar is a morally good man and everything he does is for his family. At one point he is pushed into a corner and it was genuinely heart-breaking to hear him say that he’s done nothing wrong.
This isn’t a film designed to tug on emotional heartstrings but at certain points I truly felt for Oscar and Mei as they are without a choice and are only doing what they can to survive. Some beats are heart-breaking and had me wondering if this film would have a happy ending. Want to know? Then I advise that you watch it.
However it’s not all doom and gloom. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments and once Oscar meets Ong things truly start to look up and hope is restored.
What carries the film for me are the performance of Macapagel’s Oscar, one of the only uncorrupted characters we see, with moments of pure kindness and selfishness, along with Ramirez as his wife Mai. She has to make some tough choices and in one particular scene she is excellent, trying to hide her true feelings until a tear runs down her face. They have great chemistry and show naturalistic performances as a loving couple in difficult circumstances.
Ellis’ cinematography is fantastic, ranging from beautiful landscape shots of the idyllic and calm countryside to the claustrophobic city. To say the least their transition between the countryside and city is bewildering and the use of sound during this and the whole film is excellent at creating different atmospheres.
The whole film is beautifully shot and edited and we get a sense of an inner city third world in the Philippines. What you see is uncomfortable for any western viewer and it will honestly make you appreciate what you have, compared to the less fortunate who have nothing.
It is worth noting that this film was made before the recent Typhoon, so these people have a lot less now. If you feel strongly it’s easy to donate some money and help make a difference.
This film reminded me in parts of City of God (2002) and in others Heat (1995). It starts off as a slow yet engrossing struggle to survive and before you know it we have some thrilling moments once Oscar has the security job.
This film has gained a lot of favour from critics and as I write this it’s got a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. A few bits were predictable and the notion of inner city corruption has been done countless times before, but the overriding theme of doing what must be done for one’s family will stick with you for days, especially the films ending.
On the disk we have a trailer which panders to the films action scenes but doesn’t give away too much. Also included is a fantastic behind the scenes featurette that will make you even more impressed with the film. Director Sean Ellis saw two security van guards arguing whilst he was on a visit to Manila and the idea grew from there. Frankly and honestly we discover that financers didn’t want to fund a film shot on location, so Ellis mostly funded it himself. We get an idea of the brief production where everyone helped out, and the guerrilla style shoot as you need a licence to film in Manila, so they avoided police as much as possible. Various actors talk you through various scenes and you get an overwhelming sense that this was a labour of love for all involved on a micro budget.
I feel director Sean Ellis is one to watch and I wonder if he is the type to go to Hollywood and if so what type of film would he make? However I would love to see him direct an upcoming episode of Doctor Who as he nails characters and tension.
Overall Verdict: Close to a 5 out of 5 film but not perfect. Metro Manila is brilliantly written, acted and shot it’s an engrossing family and crime drama which shows a seedy underworld in a realistic and unglamorous light. Watch this film, be taken away and be grateful for what you have.
Reviewer: George Elcombe