The Mistress

I have a confession to make: I've always been a John Lloyd-Bea fan.I can forego watching flicks starring either of them and wait for the DVD to come out. But the two of them together in a movie is too much to miss, let alone this Olivia Lamasan masterpiece "The Mistress," which marks their 10th year together as on-screen partners.

Until now, playing their blockbuster hits "One More Chance" and "Close To You" at home remains one of my guilty pleasures. Watching the trailer of their latest movie tells us that they have progressed as actors and have taken on more complex roles. Indeed, with the emotionally-loaded plot of "The Mistress," don't expect to come home giddily smiling the way you fell in love with Basha and Popoy in "One More Chance."

It was a bit uncomfortable to watch Bea Alonzo play mistress to Ronaldo Valdez' character. I can't help but associate it  with their Betty La Fea TV series where the latter was a respectable, protective father to Betty (Bea). As an actress, Bea admitted to finding her scenes with the veteran actor most challenging.

"The Mistress" explores the other side of the coin. It doesn't glorify adultery, but depicts the mistress in a more humane light. A human flawed in her judgment, bound to ultimately suffer the consequences of her actions. You will neither hate Sari nor wanna be her. Sari (Bea Alonzo) as the mistress, is not the stereotypical skimpily clad, she-devil incarnate, social-climbing bitch. On the contrary, Sari is a goody two shoes, decent-looking, soft-spoken woman in her mid-twenties devoted to her family, albeit  burdened by the secret life she leads as a kept woman. Bea Alonzo's under-acting in this movie reminds me of Jaclyn Jose's thespian trademark, but not lazy enough to graduate under Bella Swan's lethargic acting school. The radiant and hardworking woman being weighed down by her sinful undertakings is executed perfectly by Bea's calm but troubled take on the role. She has come a long way as an actress. Bea Alonzo has arrived.
John Lloyd is the flirty and confident architect JD, who is swept away by Sari's charms. Despite discovering the sticky situation that Sari was in, JD's messianic complex has taken over and wanted Sari out of the rut. According to him, it was love, that's it. How could he resist the flawless, beautifully-lighted Sari reminiscent of an angel who just dropped from the sky?

Upon entering the theatre, I could hear people coming out of it, saying they should have brought tissues. I initially couldn't relate to their sentiments as I was having fun with the intermittent injection of humor despite the seriousness of the theme. Thanks to the little kid named Mamon (Clarence Delgado) and K Brosas who mostly provided the comic relief. However John Lloyd Cruz is John Lloyd Cruz. This man knows the way to your tear ducts without you realizing it. I have long been amazed with his relatable, realistic and poignant acting. The scene with Ronaldo Valdez was epic. So yes, even if you're not a mistress and cannot relate to the role, bring lots of tissues. Blame that on John Lloyd.

The presence of Anita Linda, Ronaldo Valdez and Hilda Koronel spelled powerhouse. Although there were scenes where Hilda went too theatrical in acting out her heartbroken, alcoholic of a wife role, it was forgivable.

"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol still lingers in my head. This leads us wondering, what made Star Cinema use foreign music on a movie that could possibly redefine local films? I don't know, perhaps there was no Jed Madela song  that could capture the melancholia in JD and Sari's love story as much as "Chasing Cars" could.

The moviegoers could barely wipe off their tears when the end credits started rolling.It was a heavy feeling to carry home. "Di dahil gusto mo, makukuha mo," (not everything you want will be yours) could very well tell the gist of the story.I think this was what pierced through me- the painful realization that there are things that will never be, no matter how desired zealously enough. It sure stings. Sometimes, the only way to have it is to close your eyes and dream about it. Sigh.