EVERYBODY plays the game, everybody knows it’s crooked, but it’s the only game in the country.”
Pause for thought.
This week, Filipinos have been going mad over our hero Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao and Erik Morales’ rematch. But we at Super! are urging all of you to consider one more thing worth flippin’ for.
No, it’s not the Eurostar Carnival where this Super! shoot was done, although that place rocks our socks. We’re talking about a small film with gigantic potential.
Two small-time criminals, a wannabe actress, the son of a crime lord, and a kidnapping that brings all of them together for what should be the golden ticket to their dreams. Blend together, and place them all under the control of two directors’ deft hands—and you’ve got a kick-ass picture. Bettys and dudes, prepare to be wowed by “Big Time.”
Pause for applause.
The Big Time fairy-tale
After robbing P500 and an urn of the Pinoy favorite snack sari-sari store, Jonas (Nor Domingo) and Danny (Winston Elizalde) decide to fasten their act together and finally hit the big time.
The twosome cautiously diagram an abduction of Melody (Joanne Miller), the foxiest lady in the Tambo neighborhood.
But when Wilson (Jamie Wilson), Melody’s fling, interrupts the revelry, the duo gets stuck in a spot too hard to handle. Wilson’s an especially secure rich chap who grew up in the States and plans to someday be the head honcho of their familia’s unlawful dealings.
Joining the bash are Melody’s parents–cab driver Desi (Tony Roma) and doting stage mom Teresa (Carme Sanchez), who are both incredibly addicted to prayer rallies and jamborees.
Just when the situation couldn’t get any wilder, Wilson’s pop Don Manolo (Michael de Mesa) enters the scene and messes things up via his possession of an ultra-controlling muscle and, um, his dramatic theatrical utterances.
Mad things start taking place as the four bolt themselves up in a creepy house with mannequins. Emotions acquire center stage and loyalties rock and shatter as the audience is led to a startling ending.
Behind the big party
The film’s creators, Mario Cornejo and Monster Jimenez, were initially planning to pitch the Big Time tale to Filipino-American actor Ernie Reyes Jr. (The Rundown, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) but that ended with zilch results.
Enter the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film competition. Big Time made it to the top ten, which only signaled one thing: It was time to start working. Tough tasks poured in but the two directors remained alert.
“I think it paid off,” says Mario in Big Time’s website. “Our actors were first and foremost amazingly talented. But more than that, they were so easy to get along with and amazingly fun to work with.”
Monster, who took charge of the film’s casting, agrees. “Shooting Big Time was such great fun that many of the actors have become our good friends.”
Big Time’s thirteen-day shoot was described as “easily the most fun everyone had.” But of course, things wouldn’t be complete without exciting yet rather grating instances attacking the arrangement.
“On the first day of shoot, Metro Manila was drenched at the height of a tropical storm. The second day was threatened to be cancelled. But by midnight of the first day, the storm had subsided, and the weather was friendlier after that.
Midway into the shoot, one of the cameras stopped functioning, forcing the production to find a new camera and pushing the schedule back five hours. Despite everything, the production continued to beat the festival’s deadline.”
No, man, the guest list isn’t small time
Big Time features awesome performances from leads Michael de Mesa, Nor Domingo, Winston Elizalde, Jamie Wilson, and Joanne Miller.
Supporting roles were played by Frederick Edwards, Joel Ruiz, Tony Roma, Gerry Cornejo, Amante Pulido, and Carme Sanchez. Surprise and enjoyable appearances were provided by Soxy Topacio, Ryan Eigenmann, Jon Santos and Mayor Lito Atienza, starring in what is possibly one of the most riotous scenes in the film.
Watch it, watch it, watch it, and, um, watch it
This unique, dark, and unapologetic comedy has been hailed by film buffs as “a Tagalog movie that doesn’t oversell a joke or rely on slapstick.” They got it right.
Its structure is one that we Pinoys haven’t seen before. Its edginess is just right — it doesn’t compromise the storytelling at all.
Big Time’s rad in a lot of ways, but it shines best with its combination of a hilarious script and an ultra-capable bunch of actors. Punch lines are spotlessly delivered, timing’s just immaculate, and the general mood’s just pure fun.
The film ridicules and plays with Pinoy pop culture, and shows us why they deserve the right to do so — Mario and Monster both possess a distinct yet ultra-clear understanding of what’s been going on around.
Plus, Big Time makes you think about how we Pinoys strive with all our might just to hit, well, the big time.
We gamble with everything we’ve got in hopes of acquiring a win. We stay awake at night to draft our plans to dominate even just a small miniscule corner in the world. Even if we’ve been screwed over and over, we’re still standing in the ring — ready to clash in the next bout.
Go Pinoy talent and creativity! Go Big Time!
