Ma' Rosa - Movie Review

In 'Ma' Rosa', director Brillante Mendoza offers an in-depth observation into the depraved police system, and the different representation of criminals today.

Rosa (Jaclyn Jose) and Nestor Reyes (Julio Diaz) are secret meth sellers in Manila invaded by cops (Mark Anthony Fernandez, Mon Confiado, Baron Geisler, Neil Ryan See) who proposes a 200 grand peso bribe in exchange for their immediate release out of an non-bailable case of illegal drug pushing. In order to pay for the couple's quick exit, their three children (Andi Eigenmann, Felix Roco, Jomari Angeles) carry their burden by undergoing various modes of solicitation.

The film could easily end up being cliched for its familiar story, but director Brillante Mendoza disregards traditional methods of telling such premise to apply his signature confined narrative for the events in the film. The result is a disgusting, brutally honest plethora of madness. It spent a lot of time sweeping inside a contained room of a police station where an unlawful negotiation is ongoing. Its ironic to see these police interrogate criminals when they are in fact criminals themselves for their wrongdoing. The film depicts criminals on various fashion, most (as the film presents) of its cause relating to money.

Mendoza once again discuss the financial struggle of a lot of Filipino by using illegal acts to escape it. The characters in the movie, both the cops and the couple, sees the only chance away from scarcity is the quick decision of conducting illicit act. The latter sees its consequences through the hardship of their children during their pursuit of seeking cash, one of which uses his own unwanted body in return for money.

'Ma' Rosa' ended on a emotionally shattering note, which is one of the reasons why Jaclyn Jose nabbed the Best Actress trophy in the Cannes Film Festival this year, beating the likes of Marion Cotillard and Charlize Theron. The fact that Mendoza didn't give away screenplays to the actors allow the actors to act naturally throughout the film. Jose, despite having a screen time shorter than expected, felt very authentic for the character of Rosa. The performance was never a show-off, and didn't came to a point where you see her actually acting but fully embodying the character. 

The geek rates it 8/10!

'Ma' Rosa' opens Wednesday, June 6 from Solar Pictures! Rated R-16 by the MTRCB.

MA' ROSA (2016): 

Directed by: Brillante Mendoza

Written by: Troy Espiritu

Starring: Jaclyn Jose, Andi Eigenmann, Felix Roco, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Mon Confiado, Mercedes Cabral, Maria Isabel Lopez, Baron Geisler, Jomari Angeles, Neil Ryan Sese, Julio Diaz
Produced by: Larry Castillo

Music: Teresa Barrozo

Cinematography: Odyssey Flores

Geek out by following The Film Geek Guy:

thefilmgeekguy.blogspot.com

Facebook: The FILM GEEK GUY

Twitter: @matthew_escosia

Instagram: matthewescosia

E-Mail: matthew.escosia@yahoo.com