THE FILMSOC REVIEWS: SANA DATI (Jerrold Tarog, 2013)

Directed by: Jerrold Tarog

Screenplay by: Jerrold Tarog (billed as Ramon Ukit)

100 minutes

Reviewed by: Macky Macarayan

Rating: 5 out of 5 FILM REELS

First, a socio-political commentary; then, a supernatural drama, and; finally, a love story. Jerrold Tarog completes his Camera trilogy with SANA DATI, a thematic collection of films involving the element of camera or the capture of images which began with CONFESSIONAL, and folllowed by MANGATYANAN (THE BLOOD TRAIL). For those of us who are fortunate enough to have followed Tarog's work, SANA DATI is that Christmas gift that arrived early. The film exposes Tarog as a closet romantic, because the unfolding of events work like a Russian doll, where layer upon layer of revelation slowly lingers into our consciousness, until the whole story is brought to light. 

I'd like to call SANA DATI an unconventional love story, first because the premise is gripping. A woman on her wedding day is troubled with the arrival of a mysterious man who reminds her of the man she truly loves. The woman is played by Lovi Poe, who seems glamorous playing troubled brides (remember GMA's soap YESTERDAY'S BRIDE?), while the man is Paulo Avelino, charming but no less enigmatic. What is he really doing at the bride's wedding? Who is he? And why is the bride upset all of a sudden?

The guy playing the groom is TJ Trinidad, whose character is also well-drawn. Somewhere in the movie, we would be wishing for a RUNAWAY BRIDE scene where Lovi is Julia Roberts and Paulo is Richard Gere, or even a Mariah Carey-Wentworth Miller ending a la WE BELONG TOGETHER, but Tarog makes the equation much harder to define in simple terms: he makes the seemingly villain a three-dimensional character, and by the way the film turns out in the end, we are shocked with the character development of the groom. Trinidad puts his best foot forward, and that scene at the altar is executed with unflinching conviction that we readily root for him, even if we are uncertain what the heck is going on.

In fact, we will be asking ourselves countless times whether or not the wedding will push through. The film is a love story but unravels a la suspense thriller that we wonder who's going to end up with who. Like the bride, we feel the tension of the wedding and the social expectations it entails. 

Benjamin Alves, in a role that I would rather not say for the sake of those who haven't seen the film yet, is equally dashing and dreamy. Truly, SANA DATI is an ode to lovers, if only for the pain of unpredictability. Tarog was keen enough to quote Voltaire at the beginning of the movie, which foreshadows later events in the film. 

One issue I have with the film though is the shaky handheld feel of the movie during its first half, but if the objective is to make it look like a wedding footage, and also to compliment the ambiguous turn of sequences during the first half, then Tarog and Director of Photography Mackie Galvez succeeds. By second half, as the story takes shape, the shots become neater, steadier. That rooftop scene where Lovi Poe stands on the ledge with Paulo Avelino behind him is just pure bliss.

The music by Jerrold Tarog (ikaw na! or in English, you already!) is hypnotic and surreal, and when partnered with a chilling ending theme from Up Dharma Down, the experience is unforgettable. I wasn't able to get off my seat even after the credits are through. 

SANA DATI is a rarity among the romantic genre in local cinema, a platform often plagued by stereotypical characters (i.e. rich girl, poor boy or vice versa), unnecessary catfights (hello, NO OTHER WOMAN) and "kilig" factor that exists solely for the tween crowd (too many to mention). SANA DATI's romanticism stems from its premise, and the clever editing of scenes, where we are left wondering what's going to happen next. 

Just for SANA DATI alone, I'd like to call Jerrold Tarog the most romantic contemporary Filipino filmmaker. Watch the film with a special someone, or with a friend you can banter with afterwards. The film is so rich an experience to be savored alone.