MAGKARIBAL is a WINNER
So I have not posted in a LONG TIME... friggin two years? Well, because I have been busy with life...and I haven't been into a Filipino drama since the first parts of Lobo (Wolf) and parts of the Kim Sam Soon remake.
After that... I kinda got over it and focused more on other Asian dramas.
But then I discovered a new guilty pleasure...
Let's start shall we?
Magkaribal/Rivals
Station: ABS-CBN
Country: Philippines
Starring: Bea Alonzo, Gretchen Barretto, Derek Ramsay, Angel Aquino, Enchong Dee, and Erich Gonzales
Directors: Nuel Naval and Mae Cruz
Head Writer: G3 San Diego
Language Filipino and English
Synopsis:
A tale of two sisters. What if your own blood becomes your most bitter rival? What if you had to fight over the same world? What if you loved the same man?
Anna (Gretchen Barretto) loved her little sister, Angela (Bea Alonzo) so much that they were inseparable. Both of them had the same dreams, they love making clothes with their mother. They promised each other that one day they will be very successful in this field. They hoped that one day their faces and their clothes will be featured all over the city billboards, just like the popular fashion icon, Vera Cruz (Angel Aquino). Anna idolized Vera Cruz and wanted to be just like her.
Anna's dreams came crashing down when she learned that Vera Cruz was her father's mistress. The main reason why she has not seen her father since she was ten years old. The main reason why her father left her mother.
Tragedy strikes when her mother dies. The two sisters were left with nothing. Everything taken away by Vera Cruz. The two sisters tried to survive in the harsh streets of Manila but after a huge fire separated them, Anna thought she has lost her sister forever.
Anna survived and fought through it all. She was taken under the wings of famous fashion designer, Ronaldo. She transformed herself into Victoria Valera vowing to seek revenge for her sister and her mother.
Today, Victoria Valera comes back promising to kick Vera Cruz out of the fashion world. But what she does not know that Vera's secret weapon, Gelai Agustin is the sister she's been looking for.
What if the sister that she loves so much will be her ultimate rival? Not just in her career... but also in love?
A tale of two sisters... fashion, passion, love, and rivalry.
Cast:
Bea Alonzo as Gelai Agustin/Angela
Though, she grew up poor she was always a happy person. She never met her father and her mother died when she was very young. Her big sister, Anna was the one who guided her. After a big fire broke out, she never saw her sister again. She was adopted by a couple who owns a little dress shop in Divisoria. She dreams of becoming a big fashion designer so she can find her sister, Anna. She finds comfort in making clothes, it's the only way she connects with her long, lost family. Gelai has no time for love.
She will meet fashion queen Vera Cruz and the savvy business woman will make her the next hot designer for her fashion line.
Gretchen Barretto as Victoria Valera/Anna
The most celebrated international model in the Philippines. A fighter. A survivor. She has survived the mean streets and the fierce runway. She will do anything to avenge the loss of her mother and her sister. She promises to make her arch nemesis' Vera Cruz's life a living hell. She also despises her father very much. She went through hell and back to chase after her dream. And she will stop at nothing to finally get her revenge.
Derek Ramsay as Louie Villarama
A street thug and an Ultimate Fighter Champion. He grew up in the streets and was known for his alias "Dos" because of the imprint on his back. He is a con artist and will do anything to survive.
He is in a relationship with Victoria Valera, a rich fashion model so out of his league. He feels insecure and he knows he loves her way more than she can ever love him. Though, Louie led a sad life, he has fond memories of a chubby little girl named Angela, his only friend when he used to be a street kid. The only person who showed him kindness and sympathy growing up. He wonders where she is now.
Angel Aquino as Vera Cruz
The current fashion queen of the Philippines. She owns Vera Couture, the biggest fashion chain in the country, but now the House of Ronaldo led by model, Victoria Valera is rivaling her and toppling her from this position. She will find her secret weapon in the person of Gelai Agustin.
When Vera was a young model, she fell in love deeply with a married man named Manuel. He was captivated by her, and chose her over his family. Vera has a deep, hidden secret. She knows what really happened to Manuel's wife... and what really happened the night she met with his daughter. Though, Vera is often seen as a villain, she still mourns for the death of her baby and longs for a good family life.
Erich Gonzales as Chloe Abella
The adopted daughter of Vera Cruz. She is stylish, prim, proper, and spoiled rotten by her foster father, Manuel Abella. She longs to be loved by her mother and seeks her attention all the time. Chloe wants to show her mother that she has what it takes to be a fashion designer, but she is constantly put down and criticized by Vera.
When Chloe came across Gelai Agustin's designs in the streets of Divisoria, in a desperate fit to get her mother's attention, Chloe stole her designs. Making Gelai very angry.
Chloe is in love with a young porter from Divisoria named Caloy, who happens to be Gelai's best friend.
Enchong Dee as Caloy Javier
A poor, orphan boy with no family to turn to. He is a "kargador" or a porter, a guy who gets paid to carry goods from pier to pier. He is always in Divisoria helping his best friend, Gelai. Ever since he was a kid he has been madly in love with Gelai, but she only sees him as a little brother. Even with his confessions, she never takes him seriously.
Caloy does not like the rich or their fancy world, this is why he cannot stand Chloe Abella, a girl he always encounters.
My Review
Unveiling the Unexpected
You want war? I'll give you war! I'll meet you there in my red stilettos.
The pilot week started with the title: "The Unveiling"... and Magkaribal unveiled its face on June 28th, 2010.
Ok... first off, when this was being heavily promoted I felt really underwhelmed. I thought... really? Fashion show and love triangles? Styles of the rich and famous in a third world country? Is this a wannabe Gossip Girl? Did you just hire the Philippines' Paris Hilton to be in a drama?
Ew. Vom. How damn contrived. I felt people will never relate to it and it was mostly a forced premise for the Filipino culture.
But as soon as I watched the last minutes of the pilot episode... I was sucked into it.
Sure, it brings in some typical formula injections here and there... evil stepmom, sisters losing each other, street kids and their rags to riches story--- and while you are it, they all cross paths. Sure. It's typical...
but the way the story is told gives you a whole different realm in this old cliche.
If you're familiar with Kdramas... it is close to a Makjang formula, but the makers of this drama bottled in this formula and shook things up a little. What we have is an explosion of guilty pleasure-esque kind of soap with the right balance of wit, intensity, comedy, romance, and camp to make it purely decadent. It has substance but it never takes itself too seriously.
It is the usual pattern for an underdog story, a tale of two sisters who lost their parents at a young age. They are forced to venture the harsh world by themselves because they promise each other they won't ever be apart. But you know, since this is a melodrama, so every unthinkable nightmare happens to them. They separate in the most ruthless way possible. With big sister, Anna thinking that her darling little sister is dead after a fire broke out.
I was way involved in the story as soon as I watched the young Anna (played BRILLIANTLY by teen star Kathryn Bernardo in such a goosebump worthy performance) sell herself to save her sister, only to lose her... I felt like my heart was being torn apart violently from my chest.
But contrast this kind of heart wrenching scene, with a campy take involving a botoxed matrona sugar mommy going "COME TO MAMA!!!" as she seeks for young, studly blood...
I am sitting here going, THIS IS ALL IN ONE SHOW? I clap my hands in glee...you just know you have a damn gem in your hands.
The story mostly focuses on Angela/Gelai, who is played by the mesmerizing Bea Alonzo. She's a tactless, rapid mouth, cheap-lipstick-wearing young woman from Divisoria.
Divisoria in itself is a colorful a character... a rather poor and wild place in the Philippines that is known for cheap clothes and unique fashion. The direction and the cinematography paces us in the crisp place, though impoverished, it is still so alive and vibrant. Just like our main character, Gelai.
She dreams of escaping Divisoria to find her sister and to keep her family alive. She tries to pursue her dreams through a small dress shop owned by her poor, adoptive parents. Despite the usual tragic circumstances, Gelai is not your typical fragile poverty-stricken naive heroine... she is street smart and bold, she's rash and reckless, a young woman who cusses like a sailor and someone who dreams big.
She is a step closer to her dream when she hears Vera Couture is looking for a new designer... but what will she do once she realizes that she will be the biggest pawn here? That she will go against her own blood, her long lost sister--- Victoria Valera? aaaaaaaaaaaand let the games begin.
his is a war, I am just waiting for all of them to finally crash into each other. Oh the disaster! I cannot wait.
What makes the story is how invested we all are with the characters. The characters are all so fascinating and just pulsing with LIFE. Almost as if you can write a whole novel for each one of them... and maybe a long Psychological evaluation, too. NOT ONE of them is like a cardboard cut out that can be replaced. The female characters are also very complex, something you rarely see in Asian dramas which tend to focus more in their male counterparts.
The characters are so damn alive, I feel like I have a stake in the wars that they are having. It's like all of them... all six of them have so much HUNGER for the life they are trying to achieve.
My favorite storyline in this soap is the one of the main villain, Vera Cruz played by the amazing Angel Aquino. If you view this in her most basic core... well, she's evil stepmom from Cinderella. She made their lives miserable. She is the one who caused all the suffering because of her husband-stealing-manipulative-weepy- bad-driving ways (yeah, it's not her fault she did not know how to reverse)...
but even with all that, she still manages to garner sympathy from me. So much so that sometimes I root for her. Vera plays a never ending game with the audience... you ask is she a victim, is she the manipulator, is she a mere spectator, is she jusitified? Is she really just your template for the usual female villain? Is she simply blinded with love? Is she just fighting for her place?
Case in point, this scene when Vera Cruz interviews the spunky but bumbling girl, Gelai. When Vera coldly asked her what her inspiration was for her designs, Gelai answered in her naive tone, "family..."
the whole room burst into laughter and mocking but Vera held on to mixed emotions partly taunting Gelai but also overcome with softness and tenderness. And just like that it slowly crawls to you and captures you. Nuances like this make the show.
But she can go from delicate... to monster mom... that you are going, "DONOTSLAPME!"
Did I say Angel Aquino is a goddess?
The other main leads are not as nuanced. And some are glaringly better than the others.
Bea has always proven that she's a solid actress (One More Chance) but she tends to be a bit overbearing in a few of the comedic and dramatic scenes, but with that said, she is the heart of this drama. When she's good, she really shines and carries the whole drama on her shoulders. She lives through this character Gelai. The drama IS Gelai. The burst of vigor comes from her and the fits of sorrow are felt through her.
She possesses "chemistry" with everyone. From her friends in Divisoria to the biting remarks with Vera to her scenes with Victoria. Bea Alonzo has some STAGGERING amount of depth at such a young age, but I wish she tones it down a notch, but she has given a poignant performance so far.
Her greatest moments have got to be her scenes with her adoptive father, Hermes played by character actor John Arcilla. Her delicate tears, her little smiles, her warmth, and her spunkiness... just glimpses of it.
She gives justice to such an endearing and strong-willed character. The writer and the director molded Gelai to be such an engaging protagonist... and Bea pulled through by offering us this version's Gelai. You can tell she understands her character. Street smart but untainted. Beautiful but unaware. She was second choice to play this role but I cannot see anyone else bring justice to this but her.
Gretchen Barretto on the other hand as the other fashion queen Victoria, well is not known as an actress... she's a socialite so seeing her in this kind of show is very interesting to say the least, but she can be kind of awkward--- she brings some unintentional comedy to the drama. I may love her for the wrong reasons, but I love La Greta comedy.
The young Victoria played by Kathryn Bernardo built up this angst-fest for us, and we believed it. There was something acerbic about her and we wanted to bask in the bitterness with Victoria because we all want to be in for her revenge.
But when Gretchen Barretto portrayed her it lost that acerbic touch, her dialogue delivery can be a bit mechanical and she loses the touch of angst that is carried over by the character. But she seems pretty appropriate for the role.
It is far from a perfect soap, the storyline between Victoria and her lover, Louie aka Dos played by the rather hot but bland Derek Ramsay can be a bit underwhelming. Which can be a culture shock after you have been swept off with all the cunning bichesa fest ... there's a linger of disappointment when THE GUY aka the object of rivalry is not giving off chemistry with one part of the triangle.
Derek Ramsay is one hot guy, he is also hot when he does love scenes. He's rough. He is smoldering. He loves you so much. He is obsessed. His eyes pierce into you... and he's brooding... and muscular... and dark... and handsome...and shirtless...
but he lacks some sort of zest as he is portraying Louie aka Dos. He isn't even a BAD ACTOR per se.
I do not know if it is the lack of depth in the character or too much mystery going on, but I am not buying it quite yet. And it's PIVOTAL for us to buy it because he is the SOURCE of rivalry. We are supposed to be knocked out of our brains and our hearts because of such character. I am putting all my hopes that he will have chemistry with Bea Alonzo/Gelai character because right now, La Greta and Derek as a pair is a HARD SELL.
However, to give credit to La Greta... pouty, glistening (not to mention... distracting) collagen lips and all... every time she has a scene with her father or when she is heartbroken seeing her father's new family... she really evokes those emotions well. Which is a bit weird because I won't relate La Greta with vulnerability, but somehow she shines in those scenes more. Victoria is actually a very amazing character on paper, she has no space to love in her heart because her heart and her drive is revenge. Gretchen has gotten better as the episode progresses.
Sure there are some mishaps but there are a few great surprises.
Enchong Dee's turn for the ultimate crass, sweaty, and tacky laborer, Caloy is one of the shining moments in the drama. Though, he does have a tendency to go a bit OTT as the young kargador/porter, he is so charming in his role, every time he is on screen he brings forth a certain kind of energy for us. He's funny and just a joy to watch (I ain't saying this because he's shirtless,ok?). He also has chemistry with both Bea Alonzo and his usual partner,Erich Gonzales.
I feel his longing every time he jokes around with Gelai, I feel his heart leaping when he gets a hug from her. But you just know that she does not see him that way and I see his heart break every time.
He can go from desperate secondary guy to a rather sly flirt. His scene when he met Chloe...OMGAAAAWD. Am I dead? Help me. I can't breathe.
Dee has come a long, long, long way. He usually plays perfect boy next door with robotic emotion but he has shown improvements ever since he took on Katorse and Tanging Yaman. I guess having soaps back to back to back can do that to you but I think Caloy is his true shining moment.
Now, there's Erich Gonzales who has always been known to be a good young actress. Severely underrated for years, she only got noticed when she took on a sensual route in her lead roles. I would be brutally honest... at first, she she didn't have wings to carry the Chloe Abella role, the adopted daughter of fashion icon Vera Cruz. She has a bit of a lisp and her English a bit awkward, so it takes a lot of work to convince us that she's a Chanel-wearing-Inglisera-with-huge-mommy issues. For a while my friend and I joked that we needed subtitles for her dialogue... her first appearance was a rough start...
But by her next appearance or so, when she shows how much she melts when her mother hugged her for the first time, she had me pretty sold. Among her contemporaries, Erich has a certain flair to her because she can show a deluge of emotions by being very subtle.
I am not a big fan, her last roles usually annoy the hell out of me but I cannot deny that she can act her chest off (no pun intended). Her main edge as an actress is the transitions of her emotions has always been impeccable. She can go to confused to overcome with emotion in a brief second. Naive to pulsing with desire. She does not resort to hysterics, she can be very real, and very raw.
My only worry is, her role is afflicted with the "poor little rich girl wah wah woe is me" syndrome. I need me some growth in character but with that said, she's one of the positive aspects of the drama.
I also have to give props to the biggest scene stealer of them all... Irma Adlawan as the feisty cougar, Carolina. Waiter-grabbing, ftw!
Sure, the soap has its deficiencies, but with the fast pace, sharp dialogue, an amazing supporting cast, and masterful directing --- it all can gloss over it.
The contrasts between the colorful but street world of Divisoria to the rather extravagant almost nouveau riche fashion galas are like characters within themselves, the director is really good at establishing the aspects of these places, so when the two worlds collide it gives us a more enthralling story.
I like how the main reason I am watching is not really because of the romance, but because of how the characters are just so driven, and I can't wait for the chaos.
But ok, you're like, whatever... you're not going to sell me some melodrama for your momma.
Yeah well, did I mention that this drama...
and I mean this in the best complimenty-way-possible...
is the gayest thingEVAR?
I mean where else can you see a street rat like Caloy identify stolen exquisite designs?
Where else can a cage fighter be all armed with a fierce JT scarf? HELLO! They're sensitive AND stylish.
It's fashion, it's vibrant, it's all about the most intelligent b*tches, memorable lines, some unintentionally funny moments, and well... the men are shirtless and sensitive. It’s also extremely steamy, 'nuff said.
Yeah because here the best first meetings are always done… shirtless…
WELCOME BACK, FILIPINO DRAMAS!
watch video:
After that... I kinda got over it and focused more on other Asian dramas.
But then I discovered a new guilty pleasure...
Let's start shall we?
Magkaribal/Rivals
Station: ABS-CBN
Country: Philippines
Starring: Bea Alonzo, Gretchen Barretto, Derek Ramsay, Angel Aquino, Enchong Dee, and Erich Gonzales
Directors: Nuel Naval and Mae Cruz
Head Writer: G3 San Diego
Language Filipino and English
Synopsis:
A tale of two sisters. What if your own blood becomes your most bitter rival? What if you had to fight over the same world? What if you loved the same man?
Anna (Gretchen Barretto) loved her little sister, Angela (Bea Alonzo) so much that they were inseparable. Both of them had the same dreams, they love making clothes with their mother. They promised each other that one day they will be very successful in this field. They hoped that one day their faces and their clothes will be featured all over the city billboards, just like the popular fashion icon, Vera Cruz (Angel Aquino). Anna idolized Vera Cruz and wanted to be just like her.
Anna's dreams came crashing down when she learned that Vera Cruz was her father's mistress. The main reason why she has not seen her father since she was ten years old. The main reason why her father left her mother.
Tragedy strikes when her mother dies. The two sisters were left with nothing. Everything taken away by Vera Cruz. The two sisters tried to survive in the harsh streets of Manila but after a huge fire separated them, Anna thought she has lost her sister forever.
Anna survived and fought through it all. She was taken under the wings of famous fashion designer, Ronaldo. She transformed herself into Victoria Valera vowing to seek revenge for her sister and her mother.
Today, Victoria Valera comes back promising to kick Vera Cruz out of the fashion world. But what she does not know that Vera's secret weapon, Gelai Agustin is the sister she's been looking for.
What if the sister that she loves so much will be her ultimate rival? Not just in her career... but also in love?
A tale of two sisters... fashion, passion, love, and rivalry.
Cast:
Bea Alonzo as Gelai Agustin/Angela
Though, she grew up poor she was always a happy person. She never met her father and her mother died when she was very young. Her big sister, Anna was the one who guided her. After a big fire broke out, she never saw her sister again. She was adopted by a couple who owns a little dress shop in Divisoria. She dreams of becoming a big fashion designer so she can find her sister, Anna. She finds comfort in making clothes, it's the only way she connects with her long, lost family. Gelai has no time for love.
She will meet fashion queen Vera Cruz and the savvy business woman will make her the next hot designer for her fashion line.
Gretchen Barretto as Victoria Valera/Anna
The most celebrated international model in the Philippines. A fighter. A survivor. She has survived the mean streets and the fierce runway. She will do anything to avenge the loss of her mother and her sister. She promises to make her arch nemesis' Vera Cruz's life a living hell. She also despises her father very much. She went through hell and back to chase after her dream. And she will stop at nothing to finally get her revenge.
Derek Ramsay as Louie Villarama
A street thug and an Ultimate Fighter Champion. He grew up in the streets and was known for his alias "Dos" because of the imprint on his back. He is a con artist and will do anything to survive.
He is in a relationship with Victoria Valera, a rich fashion model so out of his league. He feels insecure and he knows he loves her way more than she can ever love him. Though, Louie led a sad life, he has fond memories of a chubby little girl named Angela, his only friend when he used to be a street kid. The only person who showed him kindness and sympathy growing up. He wonders where she is now.
Angel Aquino as Vera Cruz
The current fashion queen of the Philippines. She owns Vera Couture, the biggest fashion chain in the country, but now the House of Ronaldo led by model, Victoria Valera is rivaling her and toppling her from this position. She will find her secret weapon in the person of Gelai Agustin.
When Vera was a young model, she fell in love deeply with a married man named Manuel. He was captivated by her, and chose her over his family. Vera has a deep, hidden secret. She knows what really happened to Manuel's wife... and what really happened the night she met with his daughter. Though, Vera is often seen as a villain, she still mourns for the death of her baby and longs for a good family life.
Erich Gonzales as Chloe Abella
The adopted daughter of Vera Cruz. She is stylish, prim, proper, and spoiled rotten by her foster father, Manuel Abella. She longs to be loved by her mother and seeks her attention all the time. Chloe wants to show her mother that she has what it takes to be a fashion designer, but she is constantly put down and criticized by Vera.
When Chloe came across Gelai Agustin's designs in the streets of Divisoria, in a desperate fit to get her mother's attention, Chloe stole her designs. Making Gelai very angry.
Chloe is in love with a young porter from Divisoria named Caloy, who happens to be Gelai's best friend.
Enchong Dee as Caloy Javier
A poor, orphan boy with no family to turn to. He is a "kargador" or a porter, a guy who gets paid to carry goods from pier to pier. He is always in Divisoria helping his best friend, Gelai. Ever since he was a kid he has been madly in love with Gelai, but she only sees him as a little brother. Even with his confessions, she never takes him seriously.
Caloy does not like the rich or their fancy world, this is why he cannot stand Chloe Abella, a girl he always encounters.
My Review
Unveiling the Unexpected
You want war? I'll give you war! I'll meet you there in my red stilettos.
The pilot week started with the title: "The Unveiling"... and Magkaribal unveiled its face on June 28th, 2010.
Ok... first off, when this was being heavily promoted I felt really underwhelmed. I thought... really? Fashion show and love triangles? Styles of the rich and famous in a third world country? Is this a wannabe Gossip Girl? Did you just hire the Philippines' Paris Hilton to be in a drama?
Ew. Vom. How damn contrived. I felt people will never relate to it and it was mostly a forced premise for the Filipino culture.
But as soon as I watched the last minutes of the pilot episode... I was sucked into it.
Sure, it brings in some typical formula injections here and there... evil stepmom, sisters losing each other, street kids and their rags to riches story--- and while you are it, they all cross paths. Sure. It's typical...
but the way the story is told gives you a whole different realm in this old cliche.
If you're familiar with Kdramas... it is close to a Makjang formula, but the makers of this drama bottled in this formula and shook things up a little. What we have is an explosion of guilty pleasure-esque kind of soap with the right balance of wit, intensity, comedy, romance, and camp to make it purely decadent. It has substance but it never takes itself too seriously.
It is the usual pattern for an underdog story, a tale of two sisters who lost their parents at a young age. They are forced to venture the harsh world by themselves because they promise each other they won't ever be apart. But you know, since this is a melodrama, so every unthinkable nightmare happens to them. They separate in the most ruthless way possible. With big sister, Anna thinking that her darling little sister is dead after a fire broke out.
I was way involved in the story as soon as I watched the young Anna (played BRILLIANTLY by teen star Kathryn Bernardo in such a goosebump worthy performance) sell herself to save her sister, only to lose her... I felt like my heart was being torn apart violently from my chest.
But contrast this kind of heart wrenching scene, with a campy take involving a botoxed matrona sugar mommy going "COME TO MAMA!!!" as she seeks for young, studly blood...
I am sitting here going, THIS IS ALL IN ONE SHOW? I clap my hands in glee...you just know you have a damn gem in your hands.
The story mostly focuses on Angela/Gelai, who is played by the mesmerizing Bea Alonzo. She's a tactless, rapid mouth, cheap-lipstick-wearing young woman from Divisoria.
Divisoria in itself is a colorful a character... a rather poor and wild place in the Philippines that is known for cheap clothes and unique fashion. The direction and the cinematography paces us in the crisp place, though impoverished, it is still so alive and vibrant. Just like our main character, Gelai.
She dreams of escaping Divisoria to find her sister and to keep her family alive. She tries to pursue her dreams through a small dress shop owned by her poor, adoptive parents. Despite the usual tragic circumstances, Gelai is not your typical fragile poverty-stricken naive heroine... she is street smart and bold, she's rash and reckless, a young woman who cusses like a sailor and someone who dreams big.
She is a step closer to her dream when she hears Vera Couture is looking for a new designer... but what will she do once she realizes that she will be the biggest pawn here? That she will go against her own blood, her long lost sister--- Victoria Valera? aaaaaaaaaaaand let the games begin.
his is a war, I am just waiting for all of them to finally crash into each other. Oh the disaster! I cannot wait.
What makes the story is how invested we all are with the characters. The characters are all so fascinating and just pulsing with LIFE. Almost as if you can write a whole novel for each one of them... and maybe a long Psychological evaluation, too. NOT ONE of them is like a cardboard cut out that can be replaced. The female characters are also very complex, something you rarely see in Asian dramas which tend to focus more in their male counterparts.
The characters are so damn alive, I feel like I have a stake in the wars that they are having. It's like all of them... all six of them have so much HUNGER for the life they are trying to achieve.
My favorite storyline in this soap is the one of the main villain, Vera Cruz played by the amazing Angel Aquino. If you view this in her most basic core... well, she's evil stepmom from Cinderella. She made their lives miserable. She is the one who caused all the suffering because of her husband-stealing-manipulative-weepy- bad-driving ways (yeah, it's not her fault she did not know how to reverse)...
but even with all that, she still manages to garner sympathy from me. So much so that sometimes I root for her. Vera plays a never ending game with the audience... you ask is she a victim, is she the manipulator, is she a mere spectator, is she jusitified? Is she really just your template for the usual female villain? Is she simply blinded with love? Is she just fighting for her place?
Case in point, this scene when Vera Cruz interviews the spunky but bumbling girl, Gelai. When Vera coldly asked her what her inspiration was for her designs, Gelai answered in her naive tone, "family..."
the whole room burst into laughter and mocking but Vera held on to mixed emotions partly taunting Gelai but also overcome with softness and tenderness. And just like that it slowly crawls to you and captures you. Nuances like this make the show.
But she can go from delicate... to monster mom... that you are going, "DONOTSLAPME!"
Did I say Angel Aquino is a goddess?
The other main leads are not as nuanced. And some are glaringly better than the others.
Bea has always proven that she's a solid actress (One More Chance) but she tends to be a bit overbearing in a few of the comedic and dramatic scenes, but with that said, she is the heart of this drama. When she's good, she really shines and carries the whole drama on her shoulders. She lives through this character Gelai. The drama IS Gelai. The burst of vigor comes from her and the fits of sorrow are felt through her.
She possesses "chemistry" with everyone. From her friends in Divisoria to the biting remarks with Vera to her scenes with Victoria. Bea Alonzo has some STAGGERING amount of depth at such a young age, but I wish she tones it down a notch, but she has given a poignant performance so far.
Her greatest moments have got to be her scenes with her adoptive father, Hermes played by character actor John Arcilla. Her delicate tears, her little smiles, her warmth, and her spunkiness... just glimpses of it.
She gives justice to such an endearing and strong-willed character. The writer and the director molded Gelai to be such an engaging protagonist... and Bea pulled through by offering us this version's Gelai. You can tell she understands her character. Street smart but untainted. Beautiful but unaware. She was second choice to play this role but I cannot see anyone else bring justice to this but her.
Gretchen Barretto on the other hand as the other fashion queen Victoria, well is not known as an actress... she's a socialite so seeing her in this kind of show is very interesting to say the least, but she can be kind of awkward--- she brings some unintentional comedy to the drama. I may love her for the wrong reasons, but I love La Greta comedy.
The young Victoria played by Kathryn Bernardo built up this angst-fest for us, and we believed it. There was something acerbic about her and we wanted to bask in the bitterness with Victoria because we all want to be in for her revenge.
But when Gretchen Barretto portrayed her it lost that acerbic touch, her dialogue delivery can be a bit mechanical and she loses the touch of angst that is carried over by the character. But she seems pretty appropriate for the role.
It is far from a perfect soap, the storyline between Victoria and her lover, Louie aka Dos played by the rather hot but bland Derek Ramsay can be a bit underwhelming. Which can be a culture shock after you have been swept off with all the cunning bichesa fest ... there's a linger of disappointment when THE GUY aka the object of rivalry is not giving off chemistry with one part of the triangle.
Derek Ramsay is one hot guy, he is also hot when he does love scenes. He's rough. He is smoldering. He loves you so much. He is obsessed. His eyes pierce into you... and he's brooding... and muscular... and dark... and handsome...and shirtless...
but he lacks some sort of zest as he is portraying Louie aka Dos. He isn't even a BAD ACTOR per se.
I do not know if it is the lack of depth in the character or too much mystery going on, but I am not buying it quite yet. And it's PIVOTAL for us to buy it because he is the SOURCE of rivalry. We are supposed to be knocked out of our brains and our hearts because of such character. I am putting all my hopes that he will have chemistry with Bea Alonzo/Gelai character because right now, La Greta and Derek as a pair is a HARD SELL.
However, to give credit to La Greta... pouty, glistening (not to mention... distracting) collagen lips and all... every time she has a scene with her father or when she is heartbroken seeing her father's new family... she really evokes those emotions well. Which is a bit weird because I won't relate La Greta with vulnerability, but somehow she shines in those scenes more. Victoria is actually a very amazing character on paper, she has no space to love in her heart because her heart and her drive is revenge. Gretchen has gotten better as the episode progresses.
Sure there are some mishaps but there are a few great surprises.
Enchong Dee's turn for the ultimate crass, sweaty, and tacky laborer, Caloy is one of the shining moments in the drama. Though, he does have a tendency to go a bit OTT as the young kargador/porter, he is so charming in his role, every time he is on screen he brings forth a certain kind of energy for us. He's funny and just a joy to watch (I ain't saying this because he's shirtless,ok?). He also has chemistry with both Bea Alonzo and his usual partner,Erich Gonzales.
I feel his longing every time he jokes around with Gelai, I feel his heart leaping when he gets a hug from her. But you just know that she does not see him that way and I see his heart break every time.
He can go from desperate secondary guy to a rather sly flirt. His scene when he met Chloe...OMGAAAAWD. Am I dead? Help me. I can't breathe.
Dee has come a long, long, long way. He usually plays perfect boy next door with robotic emotion but he has shown improvements ever since he took on Katorse and Tanging Yaman. I guess having soaps back to back to back can do that to you but I think Caloy is his true shining moment.
Now, there's Erich Gonzales who has always been known to be a good young actress. Severely underrated for years, she only got noticed when she took on a sensual route in her lead roles. I would be brutally honest... at first, she she didn't have wings to carry the Chloe Abella role, the adopted daughter of fashion icon Vera Cruz. She has a bit of a lisp and her English a bit awkward, so it takes a lot of work to convince us that she's a Chanel-wearing-Inglisera-with-huge-mommy issues. For a while my friend and I joked that we needed subtitles for her dialogue... her first appearance was a rough start...
But by her next appearance or so, when she shows how much she melts when her mother hugged her for the first time, she had me pretty sold. Among her contemporaries, Erich has a certain flair to her because she can show a deluge of emotions by being very subtle.
I am not a big fan, her last roles usually annoy the hell out of me but I cannot deny that she can act her chest off (no pun intended). Her main edge as an actress is the transitions of her emotions has always been impeccable. She can go to confused to overcome with emotion in a brief second. Naive to pulsing with desire. She does not resort to hysterics, she can be very real, and very raw.
My only worry is, her role is afflicted with the "poor little rich girl wah wah woe is me" syndrome. I need me some growth in character but with that said, she's one of the positive aspects of the drama.
I also have to give props to the biggest scene stealer of them all... Irma Adlawan as the feisty cougar, Carolina. Waiter-grabbing, ftw!
Sure, the soap has its deficiencies, but with the fast pace, sharp dialogue, an amazing supporting cast, and masterful directing --- it all can gloss over it.
The contrasts between the colorful but street world of Divisoria to the rather extravagant almost nouveau riche fashion galas are like characters within themselves, the director is really good at establishing the aspects of these places, so when the two worlds collide it gives us a more enthralling story.
I like how the main reason I am watching is not really because of the romance, but because of how the characters are just so driven, and I can't wait for the chaos.
But ok, you're like, whatever... you're not going to sell me some melodrama for your momma.
Yeah well, did I mention that this drama...
and I mean this in the best complimenty-way-possible...
is the gayest thingEVAR?
I mean where else can you see a street rat like Caloy identify stolen exquisite designs?
Where else can a cage fighter be all armed with a fierce JT scarf? HELLO! They're sensitive AND stylish.
It's fashion, it's vibrant, it's all about the most intelligent b*tches, memorable lines, some unintentionally funny moments, and well... the men are shirtless and sensitive. It’s also extremely steamy, 'nuff said.
Yeah because here the best first meetings are always done… shirtless…
WELCOME BACK, FILIPINO DRAMAS!
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