I actually did a cursory glance at the trailer of 'Nanahimik ang Gabi' and I thought it was based on the Stephen King novel, 'Gerald's Game' which is about a lovers' tryst in a secluded house gone wrong.
I was greatly mistaken.
On the surface and at the start, it would seem that the movie was just that - maybe up to the point where Ian Veneracion's character puts a pair of cuffs on Heaven Peralejo's hands.
When Mon Confiado's character enters the movie, it slowly changes the tone of the movie as well as its premise. What I thought was a sexy movie about a young airhead and her sugar daddy metamorphoses into a serious movie about police corruption and duplicity.
The movie may seem like a slow burn but based on the audience's reactions to it, many were really scared for Heaven and there were several tense scenes in the movie which elicited reactions of resignation at the fate of Heaven's character. That her character changes from that of naivete and frivolousness to full-blown disgust is amazing to watch. I even asked my brother who acted better, Heaven or Nadine Ilustre (in Deleter), and he said Nadine may have won because she was the more popular actress.
Kudos too to Ian Veneracion who deserves his Best Actor award for this movie. It's really hard to see him as a despicable human being because he's so handsome and charming - like the Pinoy version of Keanu Reeves - very likeable and difficult to hate. But Ian's character when first you see him and the way he shows off the real color of his character towards the end is fascinating to watch.
This movie has adult themes and may not appeal too much to the general public during the Christmas season. I think the right marketing push geared towards the older demographic would've helped the movie achieve better box-office. I just hope this team produces more adult-themed movies since I am really bored with all the teenybopper BS that our local cinema churns out.
