SMALLER AND SMALLER CIRCLES

Philippines, 2018, 111 minutes, Colour.

Nonie Buencamino, Sid Lucero, Carla Humphreys, Jun-jun Quintana, Gladys Reyes, or Ricky Davaol, Bembol Rocco, Christopher De Leon.

Directed by Raya Martin.

Smaller and Smaller Circles is based on a novel by Maria Felisa  H. Bacatan, very successful when released in the early 2000’s. It is a sophisticated Filipino film in its writing, direction, performances.

At the core is a series of murders, the emergence of a serial killer despite statements that there are no serial killers in the Philippines. The victims are young boys at the beginning of puberty, stabbed, the bodies disposed of in the dump, genitals and faces mutilated.

While there are police investigations, they are hampered by some personal ambitions as well as some inept work. At the centre of the investigations here are two Jesuits, Fr. Gus Saenz (Nonie Buencamino, from Filipino actor and completely convincing here) and Fr. Jerome Lucero (actor and sometime heartthrob, Sid Lucero). (If Fr. Brown can be a detective why not Filipino Jesuits!).

The film shows great respect for the Jesuits, authentic feel, with many Jesuits consulting for the film, showing the traditions, St Ignatius Loyola, strong education background. Fr. Gus has set up a laboratory with state funding – which comes under threat from the official church, a long-time clash with the Cardinal about the moving of a priest and his dubious financial dealings from parish to parish and threatened by the wealthy Conservative woman president of the charity foundation. In fact, the Cardinal is presented as particularly smarmy, arrogant manner, for the law of the church, for every case to be considered with Canon Law rather than going to the police (the setting is 1997 which now seems attitudes of the past). In the background there is another story of sexual abuse of minors – and while at the centre of this murder mystery is sexual abuse, it is by a physical education teacher in a school.

The screenplay works well in showing the Jesuits at work, the collaboration between the two men, older and younger, insights, following leads, identifying the bodies and having to deal with grieving parents and grandparents, victims of urban poverty. They build up their information, follow a good lead in checking dental records, narrowing the investigation and rejecting the claims of a man who confessed and who becomes the occasion for police self promotion.

Ultimately, the circles become smaller, the murderer is identified and pursued, a scene of pastoral care by Gus as he talks with the dying murderer, discussions about forgiveness and God, and a sudden stabbing attack by the murderer.

Worth seeing as murder mystery and investigation. Worth seeing as presenting images of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.

1. Murder mystery, a police investigation, the priests’ investigation? The title and the narrowing to the finding of the perpetrator?
2. The Philippines setting, a Philippines story and characters, the city, the city waste dump, the narrow streets, the mobile dentist, the contrast between the classes in the Philippines, the poor and their struggles, the rich, politicians, police, charities, the Church? The Jesuit, offices, morgue, the churches, the charities for food? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The prologue, the finding of the body in the dump, the reaction of people? The mutilated body? The voice-over, the stream of consciousness of the murderer, continuing throughout the film, commentary, as a child, not liked, school, at the back, making friends, the sexual abuse and his response, growing up, his angers, venting his angers, cruelty, the de-personalising of his victims, the mutilations, genitals, face?
4. The focus on the Jesuit’s, the Philippines has a Catholic country, respect for the priesthood, for ‘the Jesuits? The introduction to Gus and Jerome? Age difference, working in community? The office? Jesuit background, St Ignatius’ picture…? The ethos of the Jesuits in the church, education, ministries? Jerome and his background, flying to Boston, his education? Gus, a teacher, long experience, setting up the laboratories, government grants? Their involvement in the investigation?
5. The police, the chief, going on television, with the Cardinal, his collapse, hospitalisation, his successors taking over, their wanting publicity, decisions about finding a perpetrator, finding the man who confessed, not examining the evidence and its consistency, the press conference? The recovery of the chief, his calling in the police, the dismissal of his successor? Getting his officer to continue but with collaboration with the Jesuits?
6. The Jesuits, Jerome in Boston, the texting, his return, the examination of the bodies, the morgue experience, the close-ups of the mutilations? Speculation? The identification of the bodies, the boy and his shirt, the grief of his parents, their poverty, going to the food bank and the dump? The grandmother and her gift of bananas? Questions about a sadist God?
7. The visit to the food bank, charity, volunteers, the nuns? Fr. Edgar, running the work, the discussions in the church? Information about the personnel?
8. Jerome, the investigation of the dates of the killings, the calendar, the first Saturday of the month? The catering coming to the charity centre? The visit to the local councillor, the information about the caterers? The visits, interviews with the manager, her son, getting information about the man who confessed?
9. Carding, his confession, the details, but not fully accurate, especially concerning the knife?
10. Joanna, French background, in the Philippines, her investigations, camerawork and interrogations, her surveillance set up, the records? The discussions with Gus, past friendship? Meeting Jerome? The next dead body, filming in the dump, the evidence, the video for the Jesuits? Her eventually going to Mass, the discussions with Gus after mass, wanting him to help her with some work, having breakfast as the ending?
11. The official church, the Cardinal, his pomposity, smug appearance, moving the Monsignor from parish to parish despite the accusations about his money dealings, on the television, the cover, the collapse of the police chief, the meeting with the Jesuits, the antagonism? At the social, the rich woman president of the charity, cutting off the Jesuit funds, her presumption about everybody being loyal to the priests and the church?
12. The background of sexual abuse cases, the setting of 1997, everything within the church, within Canon Law? Joanna and her reports of the abusive priest and her pursuing him?
13. The background of sexual abuse, the physical education teacher, his selection of the boys, his behaviour, abuse and the consequences? Cuts and his visit to the parents of the murderer, the discussions with his schoolfriend companion and the description of what happened?
14. The travelling mobile service, the dentists, Gus and his reluctance, eventually going, finding the implement and suggesting it was used for the removal of the victims’ faces? The decision to check the teeth of the victims and the records? The tedious work, some identification?
15. Alex, his files, not being incorporated? More information about him, the days and dates of his work, the assistant and his helping, his absence and Alex taking his place?
16. The narrowing of suspicions to Alex, his following the boy, the attempted assault, his being bashed? His taking refuge, mutilating himself? The police surrounding the building, Gus deciding to go in, the compassionate listening, talking, God’s forgiveness? The shock when Alex stabbed Gus?
17. Gus, recovery, Jerome? The collaboration with the police and solving the case?
18. The ending, the focus on Gus, celebrating Mass? And his continuing his work, to help Joanna?