Cheated and Robbed

I find it difficult to write this post dahil namomroblema ako sa magiging focus ng review ko. I felt cheated by the film, and I'm not sure whether to do the same with you by detailing how intricate it is from the beginning only to go astray towards the end. It had me pulled in to the somber world of Lizelle Jimenez (Angelica Panganiban), wishing for redemption, only to be sucked in further to her hopelessness.

Lizelle is living in with a highly-successful heart surgeon, Dr. Adrian Benitez (Gabby Concepcion). We are introduced to her as she gets ready for an event, doing her womanly routines in front of the mirror. She is captured so beautifully by the camera, looking like an exquisite crystal, wearing diamond-studded jewelries. Like any crystal, she is delicate. However, she is not expensive.

Later on we learned na kaya pala siya nag-e-effort magmukhang mamahalin ay dahil makilala niya sa unang pagkakataon ang pamilya ng kanyang kasintahan. She didn't want to look cheap, but she avoids looking trying hard, as well.

It isn't an easy task to do. When she meets the mother (Liza Lorena), she is ignored. Tinaasan pa siya ng kilay. When she tries to make a conversation with the daughter, Ysa (Kim Chui), she slams her with insult.

She wears white while the rest are in color, signifying her waif-like appearance

The ex-wife (Angel Aquino) may have seemed warm to her, but she upstages her in every department. Not intentionally, of course. She will never be the like her--real high class and savvy.

The ex-wife plays the piano to the amused family and guests

At home the couple makes love, trying to fight back the obstacles that are in their relationship. Lizelle submits to Adrian, kissing him and making him feel that he is the king of her universe, slaving to his desires.

What is commendable about Lizelle is that she may come from the struggling class, but she is not palengkera. She never sticks her nose to places she is not wanted. She tries her best to become a dutiful partner to her lover and an affectionate madrasta to the daughter. Kahit pa anong pang-i-ignore ang binibigay ng karamihan sa kanya, she tries to let her simple presence known. Kahit pa anong pagmamalabis ang nakukuha niya sa paligid, she remains calm and collected. Such qualities of a woman are commendable, yet these are the same ones that make her weak. Because, inside she is falling apart; inside she is hurting so much.

With such inner battles enters Gary Angeles (Derek Ramsey), the ex-boyfriend who left her to work in a ship. He comes back to make peace with her by befriending Ysa, so that he can get into her world.

Ysa brings Gary home. Lizelle doesn't know that their guest is Gary. She brings out the dessert. "Andito na ang leche... (sees Gary) flan."

Awkwardness soon follows. The same way na naramdaman ni Lizelle sa harap ng ex-wife ni Gary at his mom's party.

Malaking hirap ang lalong dinanas pa ni Lizelle when Adrian suddenly shuts her out of his life. He is suspended from the hospital prior to the investigation he receives from the family whose husband/father has died under his care. From Adrian's end he didn't want Lizelle to get dragged into his problems. To Lizelle, it feels like mas lalong pinaparamdam sa kanya ang insignificance niya sa buhay ni Adrian.

She accepts her friend's vacation invitation not knowing that Gary is coming along.


On a night at a beach, Gary apologizes sincerely to Lizelle for the pain he has brought her. The word "sorry" seemed enough to Lizelle to forgive him, but it will never change the situation they are in at the moment. Marami nang nagbago.

But one thing remains, she wants a family of her own--a family na mamahalin niya at mamahalin siya ng buong-buo. Despite the setbacks she is experiencing with Adrian, pinaramdam nito sa kanya ang tunay na pagmamahal at the time she needed it the most. At the time when the world has crumbled onto her feet, he saved her. There is nothing more she could've asked for.

Lizelle learns that Gary left without her knowledge. She walks in the rain, saying na kasabay ng ubos ng ulan, naglaho ang kanyang mga pangarap with Gary. Timely Adrian saves her out of her misery.

However, Gary sees inside Lizelle. He knows what she needs. He makes her confront her fears. They were supposed to work together in a ship, but Lizelle failed her last test--jumping into the ocean. When she finally does, she lets go. Parang nabunutan siya ng malaking tinik sa kanyang dibdib. Eventually they reunite and make love.

Lizelle feels desired once more as Gary shows her how much he wants her. This time she is the queen, not the slave.

Nonetheless, like the sand and water in their hands, no matter how tight their grips are to one another, they are on a shaky ground. Their second chance at relationship could easily slip away if not handled properly.

When Lizelle comes home, Adrian happily greets her. But she seems cold to him. By then he knows that something has changed in her, and he has to do something.

Adrian tries to reach Lizelle's hand, but she refuses.

Adrian, resolving his issues at the hospital, offers Lizelle marriage. Pero hindi niya ito hiningan ng sagot kaagad-agad. Binigyan niya ito ng panahon upang makapag-isip mabuti dahil alam niyang hindi biro ang papasukin nitong mundo once they get married.


On the other hand, Gary proposes, as well, asking Lizelle, "Kaya mo ba siyang mahalin gaya ng pagmamahal mo sa 'kin?"

Lizelle is torn between the love she once lost but now found and the love that found and took care of her. Sino ba ang kanyang pipiliin--ang lalaking bang minahal niya ng tunay o ang lalaking nagmahal sa kanya ng tunay? Ang tao bang kailangan niya o ang taong tumugon sa kanyang pangangailangan? Is it the one that she loved or the one she settled for?

Lizelle makes a choice. She chooses Gary. They decide to run away. Pero hindi dumating si Gary sa kanilang tagpuan. Once more Lizelle caves in to her fears. Tumingin-tingin lamang siya sa cell phone niya for messages, but she didn't have the courage to call Gary. Natakot siya sa demons na na-create ng kanyang desisyon. Pakiramdam niya ay naisahan siyang muli. Pakiramdam niya ay nagmukha siyang tanga muli.


She goes home and drowns her tears in the shower. It is as if she is cleansing herself of all her naivete. Gusto niyang magsimula uli. Gusto niyang alisin si Gary sa kanyang sistema.

Muli ay Adrian ang kanyang tatakbuhan. She accepts his proposal, almost pleading to him. Siya ang tumatanggap ng proposal, subalit tila humihingi rin siya ng second chance with him; humihingi ng tawad in a way sa kanyang nagawa na hindi nito alam. Sa kanyang pagtanggap ng proposal ay ang kanya ring pagdurog sa mga binuo nilang pangarap ni Gary. Sa kanyang pagpapakasal kay Adrian ang siya ring pagluluksa niya sa pagkitil ng nararamdam niya para kay Gary.

Lizelle: Ikaw lang ang nagmahal sa akin ng ganito. Oo, Adrian, gusto kong maging asawa mo.

Before the day of the wedding, Lizelle learns that Gary has died on the day of their rendezvous, and Adrian has something to do with it. She confronts Adrian about it. This is where the story has gone awry.

Adrian meets Gary. He tries to stop him from meeting Lizelle, but Gary is unyielding. Ito pa ang nagsabi sa kanya na pakawalan na si Lizelle for they truly love each other. When Gary walks away from him, he is hit by a car. He dies in the hospital.

Learning about the truth, Lizelle apologizes to Adrian profusely. Hindi na natin malaman kung para saan ang paghingi niya ng tawad. Ito ba ay para sa sakit na naidulot ng pagtatanan niya sana kay Gary? Ito ba ay sorry para sa pinagdaanan ni Adrian sa pagkamatay ni Gary? Ito ba ay paumanhin sa naging pagdududa niya sa kinalaman ni Adrian sa pagkamatay ni Gary?

Maybe it's one of them. Maybe it's all of them. Either way, naging pathetic na si Lizelle sa puntong ito. Totally ay nawalan na siya ng backbone upang i-assess sa sarili niya ang tunay na nangyari sa pagkakataong iyon. Hindi na naging malinaw kung kanino at para saan ba ang mga luhang inilabas niya.

Lizelle visits the cemetery with Adrian, saying her goodbyes to Gary. She leaves with him, Ysa stays. End credits.

(Sa DVD nakalagay na ito raw ang original ending ng pelikula. Dahil hindi ko ito napanood sa sine, a friend told me that Adrian and Lizelle put up a restaurant business. Isa ito sa pangarap ni Liezelle na tinupad ni Adrian para sa kanya.)

So ayun, pinaligoy-ligoy tayo ng pelikula sa kanyang well-choreographed dance only to end it abruptly with a foolish resolution. It made use of an easy way out para magkatuluyan sina Adrian at Lizelle. Pero kung ating iisiping mabuti, kailangan bang may makatuluyan si Lizelle upang masabi lang na naging buo ang kanyang pagkatao? At saka who's to say that Adrian is the right choice? Hindi ko rin naman sinasabing si Gary ang dapat niyang pinili.

Isa ito sa kagandahan ng pelikula. Wala sinuman kina Adrian at Gary ang right o wrong choice. Sila ay mga totoong tao, and any of them could be good (or bad) for Lizelle. At kung sino man din ang maging choice ni Lizelle, di natin siya mabibigyan ng fault with it. Kailangan lang niyang panindigan ang kanyang pagpili.

Madaya ang pelikula dahil it made the choice for us ng walang kahirap-hirap by killing Gary. For a while ay inakala kong tatahakin ng pelikula ang Unfaithful route nina Richard Gere at Diane Lane kung saan sa sobrang selos ni Richard sa kalaguyo ni Diane ay pinatay niya ito. I thought that I'd be disappointed kapag nagkaganu'n. Subalit mas malaking disappointment pa ang naibigay sa akin ng pelikula sa kinalabasan nito. Lumabas tuloy itong minadali at hindi pinag-isipan ng husto.

Madaya ang pelikula dahil hindi nito hinayaang maging buo ang karakter ni Lizelle. Binigyan niya tayo ng small hints of transformation here and there, yet nagbalik pa rin siya sa pagiging mahina towards the end. Accepting the marriage is a big step for her. By that time, nabuo na ang karakter niya because she made a choice. Pero nangyari nga ang resolution ng pelikula kung saan lumabo pang lalo ang karakter niya. Imbes na ma-empower siya bilang babae o tao ay lalo pa siyang nagpakasadsad sa flaw ng character niya. (O pwede rin namang ito ang intended character transformation nila for Lizelle.)

I feel that Angelica was robbed off of her Best Actress trophy at the MMFF Awards 2009. (Sorry, Mega. :-[ ) I am amazed at how restrained she is in her character attack. Walang sudden burst of emotions. Everything is controlled. Pati ang pagtulo ng kanyang luha ay may timing. Maging ang kanyang pagngiti. She doesn't call the attention to herself, much like her character in the film.

She is at her best during the night scene at the beach kung saan binubuhos niya ang sama ng loob niya kay Gary. She's trying to tell him how devastated she was at what happened between them at the same time putting on a tough exterior that she made it without him. She weeps and smiles at the same time. (It reminds me of a Meryl Streep scene in The River Wild kung saan tumatawa at umiiyak siya ng sabay.)

She is at her best when she accepts Adrian's marriage proposal. She appears fortunate for the love that Adrian has showered her yet saddened by the fact that she lost Gary once again. Sobrang tindi ng inner struggles niya, and Angelica is able to project it externally.

The film itself has cheated Angelica with the award. Dahil hindi naging complete ang transformation niya bilang si Lizelle, the judges might've dismissed her because of it. Sayang.

I commend Laurice Guillen for directing her actors. Matitino silang lahat. Even Kim was made to act maturely kahit pa maiksi lamang ang oras niya sa pelikula. Naging ganu'n man ang ending ng pelikula (part writer si Laurice dito) ay hindi matatawaran ang galing niya bilang direktor. 'Yun nga lang, the film will rob her, too, of the nominations she deserved as a director.

Kung sana'y naging matapang lamang ang pelikula sa pagpili ng choices nito, disinsana'y naging isa itong kahanga-hangang pelikula. Sayang na sayang.