Film Review: La Visa Loca

Visa fanaticism: nationalism vs. pragmatism?
By: Rianne Hill Soriano
Starring: Robin Padilla, Johnny Delgado, Rufa Mae Quinto
Directed by: Mark Meilly

Can there be a new trend starting? From the heavy, the horror, and the melodrama, the two most recent and talked about Filipinos films that have stood side by side with its Hollywood counterparts are comic, satirical and mocking. Like Bikini Open, La Visa Loca gives a dose of laughs and slaps to the Filipinos. With these types of comedy coming back to back, can it pave way for this genre to come full circle? Now, let’s just wait for the producers’ analysis on this. We’ll see what comes in to the theaters in the next few months...

Nationalistic or pragmatic? In this film, the universal heart over mind/mind over heart and money versus pride and idealism issues weave a certain theme to ponder on – crafted in a light and subtle way. The story is simple, but it has the right ingredients. As a social commentary, it gives its own distinct statement on the various types of “Filipino fanatics,” on top of the line, the madness for a US visa.

The film has a commendable OBB/opening credits – well-crafted, witty and entertaining as the Filipino hopefuls pray to finally get that precious stamp of approval on their passports. The musical score complements it. Weirdly enough though, I don’t know what has been with my subconscious while watching it, as it reminded me of the likes of a Harry Potter music… Overall, the cinematography, composition (mostly playing around handheld shots and smart cuts), music and editing, generally complement one other. Filled with gray characters, most of which are very much character-driven, are finely stitched into an ensemble coming up with the right feel amidst supposedly heavy issues inside it. Most of the major characters have the right blend and casually deliver the punches with the right timing and movements. The father and son relationship between Johnny Delgado and Robin Padilla is carefully built to validate the film’s end. The emotions become overwhelming. It has its own kind of redemption. Without any words to say, the short but poignant look between Evangeline Pascual and Robin as mother and son gives enough connection and emotion without being too melodramatic and overacting. Paul Holme plays a substantial acting as the 'Planet Strange' host Nigel Adams. With the things that have happened to him in the story, he gives credibility to his own dialogues especially to give a wake up call to the Filipinos’ bad habits and colonial behavior. Filipinos know about these already, they are not new things to be realized. But his delivery gives that effective slap to the Filipino’s ‘opportunistic to tourists’ attitude. In this film, Johnny Delgado being a DOM type validates his very character. The story does not say that he is bad, of course, he is not even good… but the validation comes from the human side of things – of simply falling into the errs of being human, of being a victim of making sacrifices left with more sacrifices to come. Moreover, Meily makes the characters’ flaws into comic fun without losing its focus. Robin’s acting is commendable. In the film, he serves to be a personification of an ordinary Filipino trying to live up to that ‘american dream’ amidst the disillusionment in his own country. But he gives an attempt to live up to a certain redemption of the Filipinos’ image and pride. He makes his own sacrifice for his country, and at the same time, just like his father, he makes a sacrifice to attain his dream. Ruffa Mae Quinto’s charisma for her character is just but fine, but she has that so-so acting. The passion chorus adds a venue for style sourced out by the director in par with the Filipino elements seen in the film as the Kristos and the faith healers. It serves as a counterpart for voiceover by singing out loud the comments for Robin’s character. And although the film can stand without it, and that their songs give a certain redundant mode for what is already seen, it adds a heart to the presentation – it is a style to play around. And it is effective, and creative. The cameo roles seem to extend the fun they have during the shoot. Some of them are seen in the credits, some are not. We see actors and actresses Earl Ignacio, Bearwin Meily Raymart Santiago, Eddie Gutierrez, Ricky Davao and Evangeline Pascual, directors Andoy Ranay, Khryss Adalia, Quark Henares, and even Mark Meily himself, cinematographers Jorg Schifferer and Mark’s wife, Lee Meily, and even Unitel producer Tony Gloria. And with all these cameos, the film still turns out not poking and just merely playing around but fun and validating, seemingly reflecting and living up to the mood of how fun the production could have been.

Metaphors here and there provide the film’s satirical side: a hard-working carnival mermaid, parodied rituals and various types of fanaticism (from the religious and cultural beliefs, to the myths during the Holy Week, to the colonial mentality of the Filipinos, to the money talk, to the visa madness itself). The irony in banning the eating of pork in opened beerhouses during the Holy Week (which is very much true) says so much. The dialogues get to hit around small unresolved issues as the banning of the use of the Filipino translation of the penis and vagina in broadcasts. All these give a social commentary on the Filipino mentality. The product placements as the Smart Padala, Robinsons Pop Cola, etc. are subtle and not hard sell. Just like the comic dialogues, they are not trying hard. It is just sad to know that Robin’s character as the personification of a Filipino trying to redeem his race is a typical womanizer without a good change in the end. As a woman myself, I would detest this part, as if it is saying that all Filipinos play around the women in their lives. Well, at a certain point the patriarchal and Spanish colonial upbringing of this country would give way to such a correct portrayal. Robin grows up without a mother figure too, and this could have been one of the possible effects. But if Robin’s love for his dad wins over his decision to go to the US and earn enough money to make his life way much better in a practical sense, why not correct his ‘love life,’ or should I say, the complication between the two women in his life in the end too? Moreover, you can also see how the women are portrayed in the film: Evangeline Pascual as an irresponsible mother and Ruffa Mae Quinto as a pathetic single mom who mainly gets some help from an x-boyfriend. Well, at least, she lives up to the pride of being a single mom who gives all the love for her son. So goes with that woman quarreling with Mark Meily (in cameo) with that Las Piñas-Caloocan issue inside the cab. These two points give a little redemption to the female characters in the film. But overall, with a film like this that is trying to make a statement for a hopeful change in the country’s wrong way of thinking, colonial mentality and misbehaviors, it lacks a bit more of sensitivity for the women because of Robin’s character lacking that particularly good change in the end. The ending is predictable. Nevertheless, it is valid for the story. The style, look and temperament are generally appealing. As it falls into the comedy genre leading a load of serious and heavy issues, it is expressively fun and witty. One of which is that ‘justice for tourism’ scene which is ‘funny and meaty.’ And yet, the pressured, emotional and tense-filled moments of the film are carefully built to have that heart and to strike the emotions of the audience. Great improvements in our local cinema have started. Cheers to the films attempting to be more engaging and competitive. To the producers, filmmakers and audience, let us all look forward to more!