Friends & lovers
More and more writers now prefer to do a movie with just two main characters and some token support cast. Kita Kita and 100 Tula
Para Kay Stella are good examples. That they made money shows the story — not the actors — is the thing.
Come to think of it, it is also a less expensive project to execute.
For actress Alessandra de Rossi who makes her screenwriting debut in 12, it makes for less cumbersome and less complicated storytelling. It also allows her to dig deeper into her characters and to plumb beyond the moviegoers’ imagination.
To be sure, 12 is not about her personal life. Some of it are short reflections of her private life but many of it come from stories about other people.
She has no formal training on screenwriting. It probably follows that most of her writing acumen probably come from her guts and from her instincts about some relationships.
Indeed, the story of 12 revolves strictly around two people who were friends for five years and lovers for seven years.
Those years were enough for the character of Alessandra (Erika) to ask questions about her relationship with Anton (Ivan Padilla).
Through it all, Erika asks this question: Is there a love worth losing yourself for?
Indeed, the movie has only one setting and it is their love nest for seven years.
One fine day, Erika becomes restless and realizes this thing called love is not fair to her and her lover.
For over an hour and a half, the relationship is dissected, pried open, put on a spot and yes, analyzed.
It is the constant questioning that leads the moviegoer to that labyrinth of love of which no one would dare talk about, much less discuss with her lover.
But as the story goes, she asks a lot of questions that narrow down to her summing up her own life: Is she being fair to herself by giving love all it deserves?
12 is a daring movie with a daring screenplay. That it succeeds in moving its audience is an excellent tribute to its writer, actors and director.
You actually expect to be bored with just two characters throwing lines. But Alessandra has a gift of intuition that makes her story not just compelling but very true to life.
For this reason, call this a very auspicious screenwriting debut.
In the acting department, Alessandra emerges doubly triumphant as the ever-questioning Erika with all her self-doubts and misgivings. Her character is the aggressive one but she wins more points for her innate sense of vulnerability.
One had reasons to be pessimistic about the new leading man Ivan as Anton. But in fairness to him, he gave the role a natural cutting edge by just affirming the perceived weakness of his character and remaining true to himself. He is boring at one point, he is hopeless at another but towards the end, he becomes the fascinating character the screenwriter wants him to be. With no one to prop him up, Ivan delivers a kind of acting spontaneity that doesn’t call attention to himself but to his character.
What 12 proves is that a good story can stand on its own with just two characters and hardly moving anywhere for good locations and still be interesting.
The emotional impact of the movie is indeed more deeply felt towards the end and one wondered if it would be more interesting with the benefit of a supporting cast.
With an unusual material in his hands, Dondon Santos directed the story with deep sensitivity.
Alessandra also helped in the musical scoring and came up with the theme song with the help of Marc Abaya.
They all jelled beautifully and with unexpected good results.
Like it or not, 12 unveiled a good screenwriter and a good actress.
And the movie was a good, if, positive introduction to Ivan Padilla as the leading man of the hour.
12 is now showing in cinemas.