The first gay movie I've seen as a whole, this indie film classic touched me to the very bottom of my heart.
Daybreak is a simple film about love... well in a Brokeback kind of way.
Pediatrician William (Paolo Rivero) is planning on going to Australia and before he flies to the great down under, he invites local tour guide/boatman JP (Coco Martin, still sizzling hot from the success of Masahista and Tambolista) to his home in Tagaytay. 24 hours in one roof, the two men remind themselves of how they met. From here we learn that they had a relationship. A call from a girlfriend begins the bitter moments of the film but is eased by dancing waltz (a nod to Hong Kong's Happy Together). The evening ends with steamy lovemaking that would be their last. By morning, William packs his stuff, drives off and contemplates whether he will leave an asleep, butt naked JP for his girlfriend or just stay in bed... feeling warmth with the sad boy who's so much into him.
yes, the first and last thing to love in this film is its cinematography... Footage of pine trees, Taal volcano at the distance, the foggy swimming pool, the close up waltz... It is icy cold and perfect for the sad story of love and decision.
And the other star missing goes to how Cabangon's "Nagiisa, Wala ka na" broke my heart. :( At first a mysterious clinking windpipe score, it went on to become a heart wrenching soundtrack. "palubog nanaman ang ilaw..." okay, so I'll mention the heartbreaking waltz again. When the two men were slowly dancing, this song plays in the background... HAAAAY. I felt really bad... it's the only scene in the film where I wanted to cry. When you see that scene, the music will haunt you.
Anyway, Alix's task here isn't very hard. He has only two actors to work with. But wait a minute, the film has sex scenes. And his actors were both men!
I admire how Alix managed to direct the lengthy sex scenes perfectly. Aside from these steamy scenes, he also managed to make the gay film a respectable drama. No person will ever make fun of this movie because it has great emotion. I mean look at that poor Coco Martin climbing the stairs while William says "I love you" to his girlfriend. And look at that Paolo Rivero driving away and crying (who to choose? Melissa or JP? Heart or Mind?). Won't that touch you? Hey, there's a kicker. What about the waltz where Cabangon's song tickers in the background? AHHHHHH! I just love it!... and like Ebert to Ghost World in 2001, I want to hug Daybreak (or just Coco Martin)! :)
Coco Martin... His performance, flirty... trying to get the other man's attention, reminds me of Jake Gyllenhaal's Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain. He seduces William in a simple admiration of his cooking and the icy cinematography was melted by their lengthy love scenes. Actually he didn't seduce William alone. He seduced the whole audience. He's a sad guy who's left behind in the cold and foggy night.
Thus, the film is great. It has to be watched multiple times. Aside from the homo eroticism in it, I loved its sad emotion. Frankly, I watched it because I wanted to see Coco Martin's performance. From that day on, he became my favorite actor. Every weekend, I watch Komiks' Tiny Tony (where he plays an antagonist named Joaquin). I'm starting a Coco Martin collection! haha.
Promote Filipino cinema!
Daybreak is a simple film about love... well in a Brokeback kind of way.
Pediatrician William (Paolo Rivero) is planning on going to Australia and before he flies to the great down under, he invites local tour guide/boatman JP (Coco Martin, still sizzling hot from the success of Masahista and Tambolista) to his home in Tagaytay. 24 hours in one roof, the two men remind themselves of how they met. From here we learn that they had a relationship. A call from a girlfriend begins the bitter moments of the film but is eased by dancing waltz (a nod to Hong Kong's Happy Together). The evening ends with steamy lovemaking that would be their last. By morning, William packs his stuff, drives off and contemplates whether he will leave an asleep, butt naked JP for his girlfriend or just stay in bed... feeling warmth with the sad boy who's so much into him.
yes, the first and last thing to love in this film is its cinematography... Footage of pine trees, Taal volcano at the distance, the foggy swimming pool, the close up waltz... It is icy cold and perfect for the sad story of love and decision.
And the other star missing goes to how Cabangon's "Nagiisa, Wala ka na" broke my heart. :( At first a mysterious clinking windpipe score, it went on to become a heart wrenching soundtrack. "palubog nanaman ang ilaw..." okay, so I'll mention the heartbreaking waltz again. When the two men were slowly dancing, this song plays in the background... HAAAAY. I felt really bad... it's the only scene in the film where I wanted to cry. When you see that scene, the music will haunt you.
Anyway, Alix's task here isn't very hard. He has only two actors to work with. But wait a minute, the film has sex scenes. And his actors were both men!
I admire how Alix managed to direct the lengthy sex scenes perfectly. Aside from these steamy scenes, he also managed to make the gay film a respectable drama. No person will ever make fun of this movie because it has great emotion. I mean look at that poor Coco Martin climbing the stairs while William says "I love you" to his girlfriend. And look at that Paolo Rivero driving away and crying (who to choose? Melissa or JP? Heart or Mind?). Won't that touch you? Hey, there's a kicker. What about the waltz where Cabangon's song tickers in the background? AHHHHHH! I just love it!... and like Ebert to Ghost World in 2001, I want to hug Daybreak (or just Coco Martin)! :)
Coco Martin... His performance, flirty... trying to get the other man's attention, reminds me of Jake Gyllenhaal's Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain. He seduces William in a simple admiration of his cooking and the icy cinematography was melted by their lengthy love scenes. Actually he didn't seduce William alone. He seduced the whole audience. He's a sad guy who's left behind in the cold and foggy night.
Thus, the film is great. It has to be watched multiple times. Aside from the homo eroticism in it, I loved its sad emotion. Frankly, I watched it because I wanted to see Coco Martin's performance. From that day on, he became my favorite actor. Every weekend, I watch Komiks' Tiny Tony (where he plays an antagonist named Joaquin). I'm starting a Coco Martin collection! haha.
Promote Filipino cinema!