Movie No. 51 (2017): RESPETO

Respeto (2017)
Director: Treb Monteras
Cast: Abra, Dido Dela Paz
In Tagalog, with English subtitles

Rap is a relatively new genre of music. If this is the case, the Respeto qualifies as a musical-drama. What makes the movie even more interesting is the premise: "a young wannabe rapper meets a poet of the Martial Law Era." 

The movie is brave to tackle a story that may be inspired by snippets of tales taken straight from the evening news at one particular phase of our country's recent history. The rapper and the poet share same interest and love for verse. I guess the rapper's love for rhyme is to escape the bleak reality - he lives with his sister whose boyfriend is a drug dealer. He occasionally works as runner for his sister's boyfriend. The threat of demolition of their shanty is part of his everyday existence. Then he commits a petty crime that leads him to meet the poet. The poet writes verse as catharsis and commentary to that bleak phase of our country's history. Both the rapper and the poet are witnesses of injustice and impunity. 

I expected for a "hopeful" resolution despite the bleakness. But it didn't happen. The cycle, instead, would go on. That final shot, though, was great. I heard sighs in the darkness of the theater. Wonderful. I didn't see the ending that I expected. But the one I saw seemed fit. Then a few pair of hands started a slow clap as the end credits rolled up. A few seconds later, the sound of applause was deafening. What a movie!

Respeto might just this year's dark horse. Abra and Dido Dela Paz are so good.

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: August 9, 2017