Movie No. 55 (2014). Cinemalaya X: CHILDREN'S SHOW
Children's Show (2014)
Director: Roderick Cabrido
Cast: Buboy Villar, Miggs Cuaderno, Gloria Sevilla, Allen Dizon, Nathan Lopez, Suzette Ranillo
In Children's Show, children talk, decide, and treat life like adults. Adults, their parents included, are generally helpless. This is the story of two brothers, both out-of-school youth, one in his preteen the other barely a teenager, who make a living by driving a pedicab and occasionally moonlighting as fighters in an underground wrestling show run by syndicates. They live in a shanty under the care of their grandmother having been abandoned by their father for another family and by their mother who committed suicide.
Director: Roderick Cabrido
Cast: Buboy Villar, Miggs Cuaderno, Gloria Sevilla, Allen Dizon, Nathan Lopez, Suzette Ranillo
In Children's Show, children talk, decide, and treat life like adults. Adults, their parents included, are generally helpless. This is the story of two brothers, both out-of-school youth, one in his preteen the other barely a teenager, who make a living by driving a pedicab and occasionally moonlighting as fighters in an underground wrestling show run by syndicates. They live in a shanty under the care of their grandmother having been abandoned by their father for another family and by their mother who committed suicide.
In the opening credits, the movie claims that it is based on actual events. This information, the dire circumstances the children thrown into (poverty, crime, absence of adults' guidance, etc.), and their carefree dealings with their daily existence make the movie horrifying. And this horror is effectively conveyed in the narrative, excellent editing, and wonderful performances of the lead (Buboy Villar and Miggs Cuaderno) and supporting cast.
In my opinion, this is one of the best movies shown in this year's batch of Cinemalaya entries.
Rating: 3.50/4.0
Date seen: August 3, 2014
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