MMFF 2016 Movie Review: ‘ORO’

ITS STRAIGHTFORWARD storytelling is both ORO’s strength and weakness.

The audience gets a straight-to-the-heart pinch of reality, of how politics and its injustices shape life in a far-flung island village in Bicol. ORO paints a sad picture of a poor village relying mainly on gold mining for its livelihood, fighting for its right to live. True to its tagline, in ORO and its story, ‘Dugo ang kulay ng ginto.’

The dark, rustic picture ORO paints is a treat for modern-day Filipino moviegoers long deprived of this kind of realistic approach to commercial filmmaking. In many ways, ORO relives the golden age of Philippine cinema, when realistic films about injustice were the norm.

Director Alvin Yapan‘s willingness to tackle this seemingly forgotten issue of political injustice in Bicol is reason enough to watch the film. His willingness to trust the audience — to let them meet the material rather than question whether modern moviegoers can still appreciate a good film — is another.

Being this straightforward carries a real risk of tipping ‘too Indie,’ and that could be considered the film’s weakness, if not for its near-perfect casting. The main cast and ensemble deliver across the board. Even the slower scenes become frames that connect with, if not fully hold, the audience.

Though I wish the film had shown more of Caramoan island’s beauty beyond one scene between its two leads, played by Joem Bascon and Mercedes Cabral, the cinematography is genuinely striking. I love the feel of it, too — the natural color of poverty, and the conflict and struggle etched into every frame.

The drinking sessions, beyond being a natural end-of-day ritual for a group of laborers, become scenes of real weight by the film’s close. The actors trading folktales feel like filler at first, until they land with an impact that nails the local texture of the story. By the way the film is built, the audience has no choice but to laugh when the characters are happy, cry when they’re sad, seethe when they’re angry, and stand with them in their fight to make a living.

Irma Adlawan, playing the village chairman, delivers more than her role demands. Stepping in for Nora Aunor, who’d already shot a number of scenes before the recasting, is no small task, but Adlawan proves she was the right choice — one even the Superstar herself would likely applaud. As it happens, Aunor, who plays a grieving mother in another MMFF entry, ‘Kabisera,’ is up against Adlawan for the MMFF Best Actress award.

Bascon, in all his machismo, pulls us into the core of his character and makes us believe in his cause, his love for Linda (Cabral), and his devotion to his family. Bascon will give Paolo Ballesteros (Die Beautiful) a real run for the MMFF Best Actor Award. As of this writing, Ballesteros has already picked up two international best actor recognitions for his role as a gay man in ‘Die Beautiful.’

Cabral can’t be faulted either. She’s the kind of woman from the barrio you connect with instantly, her acting natural as ever. Her chemistry with Bascon holds strong — even without the nude scenes the two are known for in their indie work — all the way through to the scene where she breaks down over her loss.

Sandino Martin, who’s already proven his range moving from theater to film and picking up multiple best actor wins along the way, delivers another strong performance here. We wouldn’t be surprised if he took home a Best Supporting Actor trophy for his role as a local miner. Martin also performs ORO’s heart-wrenching theme song, “Nananaghoy Ang Puso Ko.” Then there’s newcomer Cedric Juan, who plays one of the pseudo-environmentalist villains and makes his own mark.

While it’s easy to single out the leads who turned in outstanding performances, it would be unfair not to credit the strong ensemble that makes the film work as a whole.

ORO’s real measure of success, though, isn’t how audiences react while watching it, but what changes it inspires in society after the festival ends. Its message came through clearly — the question now is whether its cry for justice will actually make a difference.

Rating: 8/10

Note: ORO is one of the 8 entries in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2016. We will do our best to watch and review all the films in this blog within the week. Read our reviews by clicking this link.