NEWSFLASH

Special to the Philippine Headline News Online
by Alex Jimenez 
Newsflash Entertainment Columnist

---

Pusong Mamon: Tarty Movie

MANILA, August 6, 1998- "Pusong Mamon", a controversial gay comedy whose playdates have been moved several times over has finally opened in Manila theaters. The Joel-Lamangan-Eric Quizon directed potboiler starring Lorna Tolentino, Albert Martinez and Eric Quizon received mixed reviews but drew crowds at moviehouses, after a sustained promo campaign that successfully piqued the interest of the general public.

    By posing as comedy, the film avoided the sad fate of another gay themed movie, "Miguel/Michelle" which was pulled out of theaters last month after two days of poor earnings. Although this is the third movie on gays shown in Manila this year, it does not pont to a trend  that gay movies will help pull up the local movies from its current slump. Casting, and slick marketing still determine a hit. Having Rosanna Roces in the cast boosted "Selya, the Man in Her Life" earlier this year. In the case of "Pusong Mamon", it was sustained and meticulously planned publicity.

    At first glance, PUSONG MAMON is a fun, feel good movie, that plays on the funny plight of a gay couple. Yet at its most basic level, it is nothing more than a contrivance, a fantasy whose improbability turns it into a pipe dream that will forever be unattainable.

    Ron and Nikki’s situation seems ordinary. Guppies (that stands for a gay upwardly mobile professionals) set up house. One’s a pro chef who plays devoted wife, (Eric Quizon), and housekeeper, and the other’s an executive who plays husband but cannot reveal his true orientation because of pressure from his dad and at work.

    Homophobia is a fact of life. Yet, it is far from being the central concern that any person, gay or otherwise, faces at work and in society. Truth to tell, people just want to get ahead of others. That desire, simple, single minded and frankly, rather boring is the source of all the intrigue that turns the work place into a viper’s pit. Conspiracies are largely the product of overactive imaginations. But then, this politically correct gay film would have us think otherwise.

    Within the house, roommates Ron and Nikki live in perfect bliss. They share an intimacy, that cannot exist in the outside world. Home is a love nest apart from reality of the outside world. This set up gains credence with the quality of Albert Martinez and Eric Quizon’s performances. The kissing and lovemaking and other intimate scenes between both were executed with a realism that virtually erases the boundaries of reel and real life.

    However, the fantasy breaks down, with the entry of an insistent husband seeker who simply cannot live with the fact that her Mr. Right, is actually the wrong guy. She tries to fit into the world of the male couple only to find herself rebuffed but eventually, tolerated before finally earning their love and trust. What a fairy tale.

    Yet developments in Lorna's family are ignored. There is no revelation of the confusion that should have taken place among her relatives at the prospect of her marrying another man beside the one who fathered her child. It’s as if all the pain and confusion happen only to gay people.

    Caridad Sanchez’s character remains largely underdeveloped. Through her perspective, the viewers could have gained insight into how Nikki(Eric Quizon) became the person he is. Instead, she remains largely ornamental, not much different from the gaudy bangles she wears in the film. They attract attention but are of little use otherwise. Given two competent scriptwriters like Mel del Rosario and Ricky Lee, it is a surprise that they missed the opportunity to add depth to her character. Instead, Sanchez dancing, prancing and carrying on with her usual stereotypical wackiness is reduced to stock comic relief.

    There too is the company party where Ron finally receives his promotion. No one ever outs himself at a company party, much less declaim about it. Then too, that scene involving Tony Mabesa outing himself to Ron only underscores the obvious. Given Mabesa’s trademark mannerisms in all his films, there is no reason to disbelieve that he is gay, much less closeted.

    At the end of the day, it is Eric Quizon’s heartfelt performance that carries this film. There are three unforgettable scenes. The first, where he mutters "Feeling misis…" is succintly ascerbic. The second, where he sits in the back of a dimly lit car with Albert driving and Lorna sitting beside the latter in front becomes palpably tense by the mere expression on his face.  The third is a riot where he suppresses hysterics when he attempts to explain to Ron’s father that he is just practicing a song for the karaoke while his fingers mimic holding a microphone that might as well have been shoved into his mouth.

    Lest you forget, even in the company illustrious co-actors, Eric is a consumate performer, often underrated but no less incisive and powerful. So, this fruit of a movie has too much tart, but Eric still makes it sweet to taste.