By Brontë H. Lacsamana, Reporter
Movie Review
Green Bones
Directed by Zig Dulay
EACH person has the capacity for good and evil within them, shaped by circumstance and the influence of others. In this heartfelt drama, a corrections officer and a soon-to-be-released criminal grapple with this notion as they cross paths in a provincial penal colony where persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are being rehabilitated for release.
The film’s title, Green Bones, refers to the belief that finding the color green in the cremated bones of a deceased person signifies their goodness in life.
The film was developed by director Zig Dulay under GMA Pictures. This marks their second foray together into the Metro Manila Film Festival territory following last year’s Best Picture winner Firefly, and it delivers a story just as modest and human. Notably, it is penned by National Artist for Film Ricky Lee with co-writer Anj Atienza.
At the heart of this gripping drama is Dennis Trillo, who gives a raw yet layered performance as the inmate Dom Zamora, opposite the capable passion of Ruru Madrid’s corrections officer Xavier Gonzaga.
The story is centered on the two and their clash of perspectives, the latter gradually figuring out the mystery of the criminal’s past as he tries to look past the thick haze of prejudice he has against murder convicts (his sister having been killed by one year before). While Madrid does a solid job, the potent pain brewing just beneath the surface of Trillo’s guarded expressions is clearly Best Actor frontrunner-worthy.
The film takes its time letting us know why Dom Zamora did what he did, and what plans he’s cooking up now, pitting the righteous officer against the morally grey criminal whose history is more complicated than expected. It’s a dynamic people may recognize from the likes of Shawshank Redemption and Les Miserables, but this time set in the terribly corrupt landscape of the Philippines. The audience is challenged to ponder what it means to be good, to question each person’s capacity to change, in a world such as this.
Supporting the two leads is a reliable cast, with Alessandra de Rossi as a mysterious helping hand to Dom; Wendell Ramos as an abusive jailer; Michael De Mesa as the veteran warden; and Sienna Stevens and Sofia Pablo as the present-day and younger versions of a little girl whose story is tightly linked with Zamora’s past. Ronnie Lazaro, Mikoy Morales, Royce Cabrera, Gerard Acao, and the other inmates surrounding Dom also do a stellar job in making the penal farm come to life and brim with hope.
The narrative, though presented as though it is full of twists and turns, actually has a straightforward premise that one can predict. Still, the moral of the story is rewarding to watch play out. The film is impeccably shot and well-acted, with the potential to leave audiences in tears as the typical firm, black-and-white stance against criminals is challenged in favor of a more humane approach to their rehabilitation and parole.
Green Bones is not the sort of escapist fare that fills theaters in this day and age, especially with movie tickets costing a fortune, so it’s sad to see that it is the film showing in the least number of theaters on opening day of the Metro Manila Film Festival. But hopefully the heart of its story will be a good enough draw and push more theaters to screen it over the festival.
A poignant aspect of the film is the cinematography that beautifully renders the greenery of its picturesque island farm setting. A certain tree at the center of the penal colony becomes a particularly moving set piece which supports the film’s themes of hope and redemption. For a narrative-driven tale that tends to be indulgent in its presentation of morality and drama, the visuals balance it out with a naturalistic view of the world the PDLs inhabit.
Ultimately, while officer Gonzaga’s initial cynicism dictates that we be wary of others and expect the worst, Green Bones concludes with the truth of the love behind inmate Zamora’s actions, challenging us to see the complexity of humans and the possibility of kindness in each.
MTRCB Rating: PG