‘And the Breadwinner is…’ is indeed a winner in the box office

“And the Breadwinner Is…,” the top-grossing movie in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), gave the audience what one would expect from a Vice Ganda starrer—an abundance of in-your-face slapstick comedy.

Those who are neither fans nor haters of Vice Ganda and his films should condition themselves to get into the spirit of Filipino film comedy as we know it and just be open-minded while watching “Breadwinner.” So while I found some parts silly, I did join my fellow moviegoers in laughing at other parts (i.e., the arguably clever cost-cutting idea of stuffing with pasalubong a coffin containing an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) corpse).

Amid the hilarity, the film’s early part depicts the daily grind of OFWs through Bambi, whose burden as his family’s sole breadwinner pressures him to juggle a number of side hustles alongside his main job in Taiwan. Seeing his struggles, one may be reminded that for many OFWs abroad, humor is a coping mechanism. For its depiction of a certain reality in Philippine society, “Breadwinner” is to be commended. The MMFF, after all, aims (or claims) to promote Filipino culture and customs (among other things) through its film entries.

As for its much-hyped confrontation scene, it did showcase a different Vice Ganda—a capable dramatic actor who delivered his longish lines with aplomb. The very tools he exploits as a comedian served him well here—good timing, pacing, and vocal dynamics; exploding, holding back, and pausing in certain places for dramatic effect. There were also quotable lines that many breadwinners can relate to.

However, the weakness of that climactic 15-minute one-take scene is that—like Bambi—it’s overburdened, a factor which is self-inflicted. In plenty of confrontation scenes in Pinoy films, everyone gets in on the drama and even supporting characters are unnecessarily given juicy lines and acting moments. I was beginning to appreciate the older Salvador siblings’ heated exchange when all of a sudden, Bambi’s younger brother “Boy” criticized and raised his voice at him, too. This was unexpected and contrived given that in an earlier scene (that was touching in its subtlety), Boy found an ally in Bambi who understood and accepted him for who he truly was. He should have just joined their youngest sibling “Buneng” in crying silently in the background.

Nonetheless, “Breadwinner” is, indeed, a winner in the box office, and many who watched it, especially Vice Ganda’s legions of fans, loved it. On my part, I liked it enough. I now plan to watch three to four more MMFF movies in the coming days.

It is my hope that everyone involved in producing films will uphold integrity in every project regardless of its genre. Our Filipino writers, actors, directors, and film crew are very talented, and we would like to see that talent come together in a well-produced film. And as movie-goers, we’d like to get our money’s worth when we do go to the cinema.

Claude Lucas De Castro Despabiladeras,
[email protected]