METRO MANILA

Philippines, 2013, 115 minutes, Colour.
Jake Macapagal, John Arcilla, Althea Vega.
Directed by Sean Ellis.

Metro Manila is a strong drama about life in the Philippines in the 21st century. It does go over old ground, familiar stories of poverty and exploitation, but presented in a vigorous and persuasive way.

The film was co-written and directed by Englishman, Sean Ellis, who has immersed himself in the Philippines but brings an outsider’s eye to the city and to the characters in their poverty.

This is the story of Oscar and Mai, poor farmers, unable to sell their crops for sufficient money, deciding to move to the city with hopes for jobs. They are immediately exploited by swindlers, find themselves on the streets, hungry, Oscar trying to get jobs, but finally settling in a squalid hut on the outskirts of the city.

Oscar does get a job driving a truck for a security firm, bright hopes, especially with the friendly co-driver – but, ultimately, the friend involves him in a scheme to get the money from a previous robbery culminating in the death of his partner. Mai does get a job in a bar, sexually exploited, though it does have a creche for looking after the children.

As expected, the story ends in tragedy – but with some hope for Mai and the children.

The film was a powerful indictment of poverty and exploitation in the Philippines.

1. A contemporary look at society in the Philippines, in the countryside and highways, in the city?

2. The settings, the farms, the poor crops, the shops and inability to sell crops and make money? The highway to Manila? The city of Manila, the views of the skyscrapers, modern hotels and luxury, the ordinary streets, the slums, the huts, the outskirts? The bars, the girls, the clientele? The security firm, offices? The jobs for the security trucks? An authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The title, the realities of Manila, poverty and survival, homelessness, families on the streets, searching for shelter, the swindlers taking money from the naive, the role of the police, corruption? The outskirts, the poor helping one another? The bars, the bosses, the girls, the clients and the drinks, prostitution? The security firms, integrity, corruption, violence in the streets?

4. The story of Oscar and his wife, the children and her pregnancy, working in the rice fields, getting a poor price for the crops, unable to pay for the seed, the decision to go to the city, high expectations, on the road, the jeepnee, breakdown? Arriving in the city, overawed, the wealth, the squalor, being taken in by the swindler, losing their money, being ousted by the police? Wandering, going to the outskirts, their being shown the hut?

5. Oscar, his military background, looking for jobs, lining up for work, the hard work and only being paid with food, the notices, being pushed to the back of the line? The possibility of security driving, the interview, on liking him, going to see Buddha, telling the joke, his being employed? His hopes, payment, putting on the shirt, the buying the new one, the uniform? Friendship with Ong, the discussions, the background, the jobs and the clients, the truck, the security at the gate? Collecting the money, cars following, caution, going round the block? The story of the partner, the flashbacks, his death? The role of the survivor to inform the widow? Everything seeming to go well, drinks with the men, the hangover? The car following, Oscar following Ong, the men in the street, the plan for the hold-up, the plan to be interviewed about the hold-up, for Oscar to go to the room, get the key and make an impression? The hold-up itself, going wrong, Ong’s death?

6. Ong, his character, upright, feeling cheated, wanting the money? His mistress, renting a flat, luxury, allowing Oscar and the family to go in? The visit to Ong’s wife? Her knowledge of the plan, the confrontation with Oscar? Oscar and his search for the money box, in the floor, finding it? Oscar’s decision, going up to the room, being careful, the key, the impression, his being caught, his being shot? The note for his wife, the impression of the key, the box and the money?

7. Buddha, running the company, genial, giving Oscar the chance, feeling betrayed, the shooting of Oscar?

8. Mai, pregnant, the advice to go to the bar, her being interviewed, sexual, the clothes, the 20 drinks per night, the clients? Mai, the dress? The children able to be looked after? Moving into the new home, going shopping? Going home to normality? The toll on her? Oscar’s response?

9. The bar, Charlie, supervision, expectations, but heartless?

10. The story of tragedy, Oscar and his death, giving his life for his family? Mai, on the bus, out of Metro Manila, with the money, a future?

11. The comment on life in the Philippines? The opening quotation about every journey ending with the church – the Catholic piety, but little hands-on help from the church?