For the three protagonists of Miko Livelo's 'Tol, the toll gate where they work could not be a more appropriate location: while everyone else passes them by, they stay firmly in place. All three protagonists are defined by a major character flaw. Lando (Arjo Atayde) is a mama's boy. Arthur (Ketchup Eusebio) abandoned his architecture dreams. Dimitri (Joross Gamboa) is, well... himself. Their humdrum life is shaken up by the arrival of Elena (Jessy Mendiola), their childhood friend. Her presence leads them to explore their own insecurities in life and find out that ultimately, their problems are their own and no one else's. It's the kind of life-affirming message that's also present in Livelo's earlier film, Unli Life.
Of course, that message is hidden (though not at all subtly) behind a ton of comedy, as 'Tol is primarily a comedy film. It's not as obsessed with background gags as Unli Life, as the comedy is more situational or concerned with absurdity. Livelo is firmly in control of his script and delivers that comedy pretty competently.
'Tol is a fine, enjoyable film. For what it's worth, it's much better than any of the other new local offerings out this week.
It looks like Perry Escaño's found his niche: directing light, family friendly comedies. He's learned a few lessons after the tonal mess that was Ang Guro Kong 'Di Marunong Magbasa, as the filmmaking in this one is far better. However, Ang Sikreto ng Piso has its own share of problems.
The film is supposedly based on true events regarding the smuggling of Philippine peso coins. Apparently, the one peso coin is worth more in materials than its actual price, so people extract those metals and sell that for a profit. This is highly illegal and punishable by considerable jail time. The film could have been constructed as a clever heist film where our protagonists game the system for money.
But for a film titled Ang Sikreto ng Piso, this film isn't about that at all. In fact, this smuggling sideplot is introduced around 45 minutes into the film. The film is more concerned with wandering in circles with various sitcom-like skits before stumbling onto its conclusion. The third act is composed of dramatic moments that feel contrived, but are contrived for a reason. It's not all bad, as it helps hammer down the moral lesson of the day (TM). The ordering of scenes and editing is disordered and scattershot, making it hard to parse what's going on. For the most part, the movie is kind of a mess.
The film's humor isn't for me. It seems to be geared towards an elderly audience, as it feels decidedly old fashioned. This is embodied by the presence of Long Mejia in the film, whose crass, outdated shtick would probably still be in vogue if the film were made in 1985. His character is written as a ladies' man who discovers his sexuality while in prison (???) and serves little to no purpose other than to be as annoying as possible. The film is also home to a number of Chinese and Indian stereotypes which have no place in a 2019 film. On the other hand, the sixty-year old women with me in the audience didn't seem to have a problem with this humor, so I guess there's that.
Ang Sikreto ng Piso is okay. While it's not for me, it knows its audience, and it's far better than certain politically motivated biopics also out this week. Sure, we don't have corrupt government officials getting blown up by rocket launchers, but I'll take what I can get.
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