Becky and Badette
Marahil hindi naman talaga ginawa ang pelikula para kapulutan ng aral kungdi para lang magpatawa.
Technical assessment: 2.5 ★★✬✩✩
Moral assessment: 2 ★★✩✩✩
MTRCB rating: PG
CINEMA rating: V14 (Viewers aged 14 and above)
Dahil sadlak sa kahirapan ang matalik na magkaibigang Becky (Eugene Domingo) at Badette (Pokwang), hindi sila nakatungtong ng kolehiyo, kung kaya’t ang pagiging janitress ang kinabagsakan nila. Bagama’t marangal ang trabaho, maliit naman ang kita. Si Becky at Badette ay may kanya kanyang galing: si Becky sa pagkanta at si Badette naman sa pag arte. Masaya sila sa kabila ng kanilang kalagayan sa buhay. Subalit, sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, biglang magbabago ang kapalaran nila. Gawa ng isang nag-viral na video na kinunan habang silaý mga lasing at nagkakatuwaan, magiging sikat na sila: si Becky bilang singer at si Badette bilang artista sa TV at pelikula. Bagama’t biglang nagbago ang buhay nila dahil sa kasikatan at dami ng pera, ang lahat ng ito’y nakaugat sa isang kasinungalingan. Saan hahantong ang “suwerte” nilang ito?
Busog ang Becky and Badette sa entertainment factor. Napakasayang panooring bigyang buhay nina Pokwang at Eugene Domingo ang kanilang makukulay na mga karakter. Nakakatawa ang dialogue at sadyang nakakaaliw ang mga cameo ng iba’t ibang sikat na artista gaya ng main cast ng Working Girls na sina Sunshine Dizon, Karylle, Iza Calzado, at iba pang artista tulad nina Christian Bables, Moira dela Torre, at Janice de Belen. Hindi rin nagkulang ang pelikula sa mga makukulay na costumes. Nakakatuwa rin ang ilang nod sa mga sikat na pelikula gaya ng Triangle of Sadness at iba pang classic Pinoy films sa piling mga eksena.
Simple lamang ang gustong iparating ng pelikula: hindi tama na gamitin ng tao ang kanilang pagiging api para mangloko ng iba. Sa umpisa pa lamang, alam ng magkaibigan na mali ang samantalahin at pagkakitaan ang pangyayaring nasa viral video nila, ngunit lubhang makinang ang kapalit. Sinubukan rin naman ng pelikula na basagin ang stereotype sa mga lesbians gaya na lamang noong talikuran nila Becky at Badette ang isang endorsement project. Gayunpaman, tila nagkalamat ang kabuuan ng paglalahad ng kwento dahil sa ilang bagay na binigyan ng mas maraming screen time (tulad ng paghabol ng dalawa sa isang lalaki) kaysa bigyan-diin ang proseso na pinagdaanan ng dalawang magkaibigan para gawin ang nararapat sa dulo ng pelikula.
Marahil hindi naman talaga ginawa ang pelikula para kapulutan ng aral kungdi para lang magpatawa. Hindi sila nagkulang sa mga antics para maabot ang goal na ito. Ngunit para sa mga Katolikong manonood, lalong lalo na ang mga magulang at guro, marapat na pag-isipang mabuti kung dapat bang isama ang mga bata sa panonood nito. Bagama’t rated PG ito ng MTRCB, maraming mga tema at lengwahe — kahit pangalan ng mga karakter (tulad ng “Pepe Feniz,”) at mga kanta — ang hindi kanais-nais para sa mga bata na may edad 13 pababa. — ANL
DIRECTOR: Jun Robles Lana; LEAD CAST: Pokwang, Eugene Domingo; CINEMATOGRAPHY: Kara Moreno; PRODUCTION COMPANY: The IdeaFirst Company, October Films; SOUND: Armand De Guzman; DISTRIBUTOR: The IdeaFirst Company; GENRE: Comedy; COUNTRY: Philippines; LANGUAGE: Filipino; RUNNING TIME: 114 minutes
English language version:
Due to extreme poverty and hardships in life, close friends Becky (Eugene Domingo) and Badette (Pokwang) didn’t make it to college, so they ended up working as janitors. Despite the honorable nature of their job, the income was meager. Becky and Badette each have their own talents: Becky in singing and Badette in acting, and they are happy despite their circumstances. However, their fate takes an unexpected turn when a viral video of them, intoxicated and having fun, eventually makes them famous — Becky as a singer and Badette as a TV and movie actress. Although their lives change abruptly due to fame and wealth, it’s all rooted in a lie. Where will their “luck” lead them?
Becky and Badette is rich in entertainment factor. Watching Pokwang and Eugene Domingo bring their colorful characters to life is really enjoyable. The dialogue is funny, and the cameos of various popular artists, such as the main cast of Working Girls — Sunshine Dizon, Karylle, Iza Calzado, and other artists like Christian Bables, Moira dela Torre, and Janice de Belen, add to the amusement. The film also doesn’t fall short in vibrant costumes. Some nods to famous films like Triangle of Sadness and other classic Pinoy films in certain scenes are also delightful.
The film’s message is straightforward: it’s not right for people to use their victimhood to deceive others. From the beginning, the friends knew it was wrong to take advantage of the viral video situation, but the rewards were tempting. The film also attempted to break stereotypes about lesbians, such as when Becky and Badette turned down an endorsement project. Nevertheless, the storytelling seemed to falter due to giving more screen time to certain aspects (like the pursuit of a man) than emphasizing the process the two friends went through to do what was deemed right in the end.
Perhaps the film wasn’t really made to impart a moral lesson but simply to entertain. It doesn’t lack in antics to achieve this goal. However, for Catholic viewers, especially parents and teachers, it’s worth considering whether children should be allowed to watch it. Although it’s rated PG by the MTRCB, there are many themes and language — including character names like “Pepe Feniz” and words in certain songs), that may not be suitable for children aged 13 and below.
