Metro Manila (2013) User Reviews

This Manila is Not Paradise

[3xHCCH · 7/10 · 10 October 2013]

"Metro Manila" is like two films in one. The first hour was about how Oscar Ramirez (Jake Macapagal), a poor farmer from Banaue, decides to bring his wife Mai (Althea Vega) and kids to Manila so he can find a better job so they can escape their poverty. It turns out that Manila is not really the paradise at all that it is cut out to be, as the Ramirez family continues to wallow in abject squalor. The major portion of this first half of the film are the sad images of the "real" Metro Manila with its polluted environment and overpopulation.

The second half of the film is the main crux of the story. Oscar gets a job as a courier of an armored car service, facing danger daily as they transport safety-deposit boxes containing a lot of money and other valuables. He is partnered with the more senior and jaded guard/driver named Douglas Ong (John Arcilla). Ong overly showers Martinez with kindness and generosity. But Oscar will soon find out later that Ong would have favors of questionable integrity to ask of him. As problems of criminal and ethical nature arise, what would Oscar do next?

Jake Macapagal really disappeared into his role as Oscar. It was like he was not acting in his scenes. We deeply feel his frustration and confusion as a father who desperately wants to provide for his family. Althea Vega tends to have a blank look on her face in some of her scenes, but she is much better here than her lead role in "Amor Y Muerte" earlier this year. John Arcilla was over-the-top in his characterization of Ong, and he really exuded that dangerous vibe about him. The tension was so thick when he is around. Ana Abad Santos made an impact even only with her two short scenes as Ong's wife, Dora.

The main plot is simple, about the corruption of the innocent in the wild jungle of the big city, and the film shows it well. I did like its setting of a security/armored car service, which I found to be novel and interesting. The set-up and revelation of the ending was wonderfully written and executed, very effective and poignant. I was expecting this to have English subtitles since I was interested to see how certain words and phrases would be translated, but there was none where I watched it.

As a resident of Metro Manila, I was very excited to see this film made by a foreigner about the city I live in. But upon watching, I admit I was not very happy at the sordid way Manila was depicted in an international film like this, now on its way to potential Oscar glory. It runs counter to all our efforts done to attract tourists to our country. However, I also know that the montage of unflattering scenes about the streets and slums of Manila is unfortunately true and accurate. It may be an incomplete picture of Metro Manila, yet it remains an undeniable reality. This is what British producer/director/writer/cinematographer Sean Ellis saw when he was in Manila, and we have to accept that.

Sundance 2013 World Dramatic Audience Winner

[Trentflix · 8/10 · 27 January 2013]

Metro Manila won the Audience award for best World Dramatic Competition film at Sundance 2013. This is UK writer/director Sean Ellis's third feature-length film. Set in the Philippines this is a story of a rural farmer, Oscar, who takes his wife and two children to Manila to find employment and a better life. The promises of gainful employment and opportunity however aren't as easily realized and their morals and faith are put to the test. In the Q&A Sean Ellis stated that this plot is a well-tread cliché in the Philippines but here it seems fresh, as is the setting of Manila where we are privy to its desperate slums and seedy underbelly.

Metro Manila is a combination of a family drama, heist movie and crime thriller. There isn't a lot of action but there is always the sense of inevitable violence and danger awaiting our protagonist.

Beyond writing and directing, Sean Ellis also handled the cinematography and operated the Steadicam. The film is shot beautifully with an over the shoulder documentary feel (thankfully not a shaky-cam) which brings you wholly into these characters lives and predicaments. We are constantly trapped in enclosed spaces with Oscar which provides not only intimacy, but complicity in his actions. Oscar Ramirez, played by Jake Macapagal, and his wife Mia, played by Althea Vega, both easily elicit our deepest sympathies. The performances (including our two leads) are lead mainly by native theater actors, the film is very cinematic but they bring a naturalistic presence and their talent on screen is apparent.

Oscar and his wife are devout and have tried honest labor farming. The only job she can find is in a seedy dancing bar and he is lucky to find a job transporting valuables in an armored vehicle which is considered one of the most dangerous jobs as the city is rife with criminals. Soon, he is asked to compromise his morals in the face of being able to provide for his family.

This film is a look at how the poor and disenfranchised are constantly exploited and taken advantage of as well as what greed and desperation can lead to. The sense of poverty and helplessness is palpable and is emotionally staggering. You will feel guilty for complaining about your job and any other first world problems you may have. This is a film that entertains, excites and lets you appreciate and reflect on your own situation.

Keep with this one...it gets better as it progresses.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 27 March 2014]

Metro Manila is not a film for everyone. It's an incredibly tough movie to watch at times and your heart really goes out to the leading characters in the movie. However, if you can make it through all the misery, you'll find that the script is amazingly well written and intelligent.

The film begins with Oscar Ramirez receiving only a pittance for their hard work as rice farmers. It's so little that they see they have only one choice—to travel to the big city to look for work. However, this nice family is constantly screwed during the course of the film—to the point where you wonder if it can get any worse. Their rent money is stolen—and they have no food for themselves or their two small children. Out of desperation, the wife gets a degrading job working in a sleazy bar as a 'hostess'—though she's not much better than a prostitute. Then the husband works all day only to be given a couple sandwiches in payment! Now they have no place to live, practically no food and they are desperate. Only when the man gets a job working as an armored car worker do things start to look up for them. Now, they can live in a nicer and safer home and they finally feel happy. But, based on how things have gone so far, I kept expecting the other shoe to fall. And, fall it did---but in such a creative way that it made the film worthwhile. What exactly happens to these poor people? Well I certainly won't spoil it by telling! However, the ending really took me by surprise—and I love to be surprised.

This movie has a lot going for it. A great reason to watch it is to see just how much of the world lives. This film doesn't give a beautiful look at Manila but shows a desperate town where it's more dog eat dog than anything else. How the family tries to hold on is what makes the film truly exciting to watch. But, as I already said, the film is tough viewing at times. It certainly is NOT a feel-good film and it takes a lot of patience and perseverance to see it through to the end. But it IS worth it. It also features some excellent natural acting and it is a well made production and makes me want to see more from these folks.

a shocking first impression of an unfamiliar city

[pailletq · 9/10 · 6 August 2013]

This film is without doubt a thriller, although the action scenes are kept to a minimum in terms of length (they do remain quite violent).

But what's shocking about it is that it's for most people the first time they're actually going to see or hear about Manila, and in this case they'll be seeing it from the bottom looking up. This film paints a rather dark picture, but a picture worth seeing: the developing world isn't a bed of roses, and things like violence and corruption do make up the everyday lives of its poorer inhabitants.

Therefore, this story is a story of struggle, and is definitively worth seeing, if only to get away from the postcard image that we may have seen of the Philippines.

Sometime you must risk all when you get a chance.

[Reno-Rangan · 9/10 · 9 August 2014]

An independently produced from both the countries, Phillipines and United Kingdom which was selected to represent Britain at the 2013 Oscars. This crime-thriller is about a family's struggle and involvement in a crime affair. From the director of 'Cashback' another excellent and a different movie. When the movie 'Where God Left His Shoes' meets 'Armored', the 'Metro Manila' forms. But in a better way in every minute detail. With the beautiful dialogues and the performances the story makes you wonder how long it can drag. The value of sacrifice for the sake of the family's survive strikes with the unexpected twist.

A farmer family who failed to harvest in large quantity gets a little value for what they got in the hands. The savings are not enough to invest for the next season. So the whole family, father, mother and two children decide to travel to the capital city to earn money. They struggle to get a place to stay in the threatening Manila city where it is crowded, polluted and illegal activities are soaring high. Being a farmer family, they are the easiest target to get cheated. Both the parents get a decent job till they come to know the reason behind their recruitment. And what comes after is the family's only chance to put a full stop for all the struggles for once.

''You have more chances of seeing an alien than winning the lotto.''

You know what impressed me in this movie, the reality. Everything I saw was like a documentary movie till the last quarter. In the last few minutes I realized that I am watching a movie. That is only because of the awesome twist and turn to end the story on a high note. From beginning to the end the narration was precisely defined about the life in Manila city, especially in the category of below poverty line. The honest was convinced me and so the great end with a line: I too want to save my family, but my plan was never based on a dream. One of the best dramas based on the innocent family. It won't try to convince you with the family sentiments, but stays true and unveils the brutality of the metro city which apply same proportion for any other metros in the world. A rare gem and won't be wrong to say it is a must see.

Truly awesome !!!!

[searchanddestroy-1 · 19 July 2013]

A pure masterpiece. How the hell could any one say anything wrong or bad about this film? I can't describe it with the appropriate terms. We find here emotion, suspense, action, all in the same movie. The editing is absolutely terrific, the characters describing also above you may imagine. A social, noir crime drama. I guess independent American movie industry could have given us such a gem, but this one is directed by a British film maker. I don't know his other films. I think there are also worth. We also can say it's an armored truck movie, there are not so many. But this most interesting is of course else where.

When I still think about it, I feel thrills under my skin. The tragic fate of all the characters. Nothing is better than this. Nothing.

Such a shame that this little film is despised by the summer audiences, more interested by the block buster craps and their f... super heroes.

I hate em all. Because of those fools, such little movies are so rare.

A very realistic movie...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 16 June 2019]

Oddly enough then I never got around to watch "Metro Manila" before 6 years after its release. And it turned out that I had actually been missing out on some of the more impressive piece of cinema to make it from the Philippines.

"Metro Manila" is a very realistic and in-your-face piece of action crime drama, with some pretty good character portrayals by the likes of Jake Macapagal (playing Oscar Ramirez) and veteran actor John Arcilla (playing Douglas Ong). It is the kind of movie that you quickly get immersed into the storyline and swept away by its quick pacing and director Sean Ellis's ability to keep the movie flowing and keeping it interesting.

"Metro Manila" has a great combination of action and drama, spiced up with a great character gallery. It is characters that come off as being very realistic and being characters that you can relate to on one or more levels.

The movie does have a major setback though, perhaps a flaw even, and that is that the storyline is very predictable, and I had the movie figured out not even halfway through, and it turned out pretty much as I had thought it would. Of course, I am not going to spoil it here and give the storyline and the 'twists' away. You should watch "Metro Manila" and experience that for yourself.

This movie also depicts a very gritty, albeit realistic image of the metropolis that is the capitol of The Philippines. And yeah, that city definitely has a thriving and ever-growing shady side to it.

I was genuinely entertained with "Metro Manila" from start to end. And even if you have an aversion towards non-English movies, then you really should take the time to sit down and watch the 2013 "Metro Manila" movie, because it is quite worth the effort.

A well-made, efficient crime drama from the Philippines

[brchthethird · 8/10 · 14 November 2014]

METRO MANILA is as much a heartbreaking drama of trying to make it in the big city as it is a crime thriller, probably even more so. Sean Ellis, who directed, wrote, produced and did the cinematography has crafted an excellent story that, while a little too familiar in some respects, is still powerfully acted and beautifully shot. In fact, the visual authenticity is what gripped me the most. Having been to the Philippines a couple of times, I felt like these were locations that I had seen before (even though I hadn't been to the ones specifically used for the film). There are dozens of shots capturing all of the various aspects of life in Manila, from the squalor of the slums to the bright lights of the Metro area. Everything is shown, and nothing is held back. The cinematographic choices also lend a degree of realism to the drama of the story.

As far as acting is concerned, everyone did a good job as far as I could tell, although some line readings did seem to be a little off. In particular, the actors who played Oscar Ramirez and Douglas Ong stood out. The story the film tells is quite a familiar one, although the execution and setting is what make it seem fresh. Basically, Oscar moves his family from the rice terraces of Banaue to Manila, in hopes that they will be able to make a better living. Oscar gets a job as an armored car driver, while his wife Mai takes a job at a hostess bar (similar to juice bars in South Korea). While there, both are confronted with the harsh realities of city life and are forced to make difficult choices for themselves. Seeing some of the things that they, Mai in particular, have to go through was painful to watch at times, but it helped in making these people easy to sympathize with. Generally, the story doesn't take too many surprising turns, but the way in which it ends was definitely emotionally satisfying.

As far as the action is concerned, while the film seems to be billed as a crime thriller, this isn't entirely accurate. Yes, crime is a part of the overall narrative, but at its heart the film is a family drama. This might disappoint people going in hoping for a shoot-em-up, but this film is more thought-provoking than it is riveting in an action-film sense. Trying to escape poverty is one of the film's biggest themes, and the way in which this was portrayed is, in my opinion, what sets it apart from other movies like it. Overall, I thought that the film was well-made, well-acted, well-shot, etc., even if the story wasn't the most original. Fans of foreign and Filipino cinema should definitely check this out, and I would also recommend it to anyone willing to give it a chance.

the city and somewhere else...

[CI_j · 7/10 · 28 April 2014]

The soul crushing despair of city life is the broad theme of Metro Manila.

Oscar Ramirez, an out of luck farmer with a wife and two kids is forced to leave the countryside because the agricultural situation is bad. The city seems to offer hope but what Oscar and is wife encounter is rampant individualism and degeneracy.

The film sympathetically depicts the life of poor workers in Manila, through Oscar and his wife's search for a livelihood. The protagonist is presented as extremely honest and straightforward. Oscar does not know the iron law of the city and thus suffers. Oscar somehow manages to find a job with a security company and is helped by Ong, the head guard. Ong of course has ulterior motives.

The story can then move forward in only one direction, i.e. the death of the protagonist but his death ensures money for his family. The last shot is of his wife and two kids riding 'somewhere'with the money.

Yes the city is bad and there is no spirit of generosity or cooperation. Yes the countryside is in ruins. But then will coming into money be enough to shelter Oscar's family. In this world can 'goodness' really survive. Therefore the place that his wife travels to cannot be named, it can only be 'somewhere'. An unknown space free from the social, cultural and economic problems of the world. One interesting detail is that even Oscar, the honest farmer too has to succumb to robbery to get money for his family. Is money the almighty solution to a social and economic problem?

These are questions which the film is not interested in raising because the visuality of poverty is the film's aim. When systemic inequality is covered up simply by how much money one possesses, a film like Metro Manila takes shape.

Extremely well made Phillipinne movie... brought me to tears.

[chavisatkins · 10/10 · 22 August 2015]

And that takes a lot to make me come to tears. I haven't wrote a review on IMDb in awhile and there is some movies deserving of one that I should review it but this one... man it hurt me, in a good way sort of speak. This is a story of a man that simply is trying to do his role as a husband and father by making sure his family is taken care of. He comes from a background that I'm sure those from the Philippines will relate to and decides that life in the big city will give his family a change of pace. He instead finds that the city is full of betrayal and lies with the people he meets. Not to say everyone there is out to hurt someone but it shows the realism of what some people go through simply trusting in someone they don't know. This is not a action movie but a movie that is sort of a thriller and moving like... sorry, my terminology isn't there for movies.

The movie is a tearjerker as they say and I'm a black man who actually don't mind movies like that. This movie I didn't expect to be tearjerkish and I really don't go looking for those type movies. I'm not trying to say that this movie should be watched to feel bad for someone but that it is a movie centered on trying to capture how things can really get rough for families trying to start out in Manila.

Every time "Oscar" the main character had something happen to him, it affected me and that goes to show how EXCELLENT a job Jake did in this role. Everyone played their parts right even down to the adorable daughter of his. At times I was concerned his wife would leave him... just had me that in tuned.

Everything about the movie is gritty and surreal that you feel as if this is really happening; someone just taped it all somehow. What happens in the end brought me to tears because I am a human that sympathize and understand a bold move people will take for their family. It just pains me that I can only wish I could tell folks I know about this movie but they won't give it a try because it is a foreign movie and don't want to read subtitles.

A Familiar Tale Compellingly Told

[l_rawjalaurence · 7/10 · 29 May 2014]

METRO MANILA tells a familiar tale of a farmer Oscar Ramirez (Jake Macapagal) and his family coming to Manila to find work, after they are unable to continue their previous lives as farmers. They find the city to be both corrupt and amoral: Oscar is forced to work as a security guard, while his wife Mai (Althea Vega) works nights in a seedy bar as an hostess. They try to sustain their basically blameless lives, but find themselves sucked into other people's plans for financial gain. Eventually Oscar becomes involved in his colleague Douglas Ong's (John Arcilla's) elaborate plot to defraud their employers by faking a robbery. Needless to say the plan goes wrong, and Oscar is encouraged to depart from the moral straight and narrow with tragic results. Sean Ellis' film captures the corrupt, breathless life of contemporary Manila through stunning photography, as well as shot-sequences whose cuts blend into one another, creating a nightmarish world that haunts all the city's inhabitants. "Good" and "evil" no longer have any real significance for anyone; in a world of unrestrained capitalism, everyone is on the make and out to exploit their fellow human-beings. Despite his Christian faith, Oscar discovers to his cost that even he cannot remain immune. The action of this film is a little slow to get going, but once it does, it transforms itself into a compelling thriller. Ellis' camera continually focuses on close-ups of Ramirez's face as he gradually undergoes a rude awakening to the realities of contemporary city life: Macapagal gives a compelling performance as someone sucked against his will into the vortex of corruption.

Could Potentially be the Best Filipino Film Ever Made

[Layput · 9/10 · 18 April 2014]

Saying that this film could potentially be the best Filipino film ever made is a big statement, perhaps an overstatement, but I think it is. However, there are some things I would like to get off my chest and say that some things in the movie could have been better.

It has been a while since I've seen a Filipino act so good. With this, I wish to extend Jake Macapagal my deepest congratulations. His acting was precise and right on the money and I do not think that there was anyone who could have played the role better.

I don't exactly know what was wrong with the dialogs but perhaps because the original script was written in English and was later on translated to Filipino, that it became apparent that it brought about cultural-linguistic misalignments which made many lines sound fundamentally imprecise. To those who cannot understand spoken Filipino and would only need to rely on subtitles to understand the dialogs, the acting can appear fine. But for those who understand the native language, some actings can appear painfully bad.

Althea Vega was frigid most of the time but there was nothing that she could do worse than when she delivered iconoclastic lines. John Arcilla is a great actor by any measure but how his acting turned out to be unusually tense is a big wonder. He could have simmered his excitement quite a bit and he would have played the role with much more convincing realism.

Of all the actors in the film, only two managed to give life to their lines without unnecessarily giving an underacting or an overacting. Only Jake Macapagal and Miles Canapi, the madamme who played Charlie, were the only two worthy of praise. But everyone deserves to be congratulated, nonetheless. However, I find it quite strange because all the scripts, I believe, were written or translated by the same person. And yet some of the actors gave outstanding performances and some of them gave poor ones. I guess it is safe to say that talent can get the best out of the actors even if the lines are fundamentally flawed.

Many people have noticed that the film painted the capital in a rather unsightly way. I understand that in order to get a good story across, the plot has to tread somewhere in the territories of exaggeration. But believe me, the depiction of Metro Manila as a dirty city with ruthless inhabitants who always acted on their animalistic selfish behavior is chillingly accurate. What is more surprising is that it was written by a foreigner who has not lived in the Philippines for very long and who many consider could not give an accurate account of the locality. But his impressions or observations were excruciatingly accurate which no one can attempt to dispute.

Watching the entire film was exhausting not because it was dull or boring but because the misfortunes of the family always make you wish they could finally catch a break at some point. And when you think that nothing could be worse, along comes another. Imagine yourself in the shoes of those persons in real life and it would give you a whole new sense to the meaning of the word 'living'. I wonder what people in the First World countries feel about their First World problems after watching this.

This movie is so tense, I had to watch it in staggered sessions because I could not handle the suspense. The anticipation was so unbearable that I always jumped off my seat several times.

I grew up in Manila and I have seen it transformed. I have been to all those locations that were shown in the movie but nothing could have prepared me for what I would see in this film. If ever there was a family in Manila that goes through what this family had been through, I wouldn't want to know about it. Honestly, it now gives me second thoughts about getting out of the house when I would be visiting there in the future. Not because I am scared of the place but because I wouldn't want to meet anyone that could remind me of the sad fate of the family in this movie. In a way, I admit that I am affected and I must say that if a film can create such an impact to the viewers, I believe the story teller has achieved his purpose.

While I may not give this film 10 stars due to some dialog flaws, I believe it is the best Filipino film ever made. Only that it really was not made by a Filipino per se but by a British film maker who was trying to make a non-English foreign film. Regardless, I am still glad that someone has done something which many Filipinos can relate to. Yes, it is unfortunate that it would take a foreigner to make the best Filipino film but just like the overall tone of the film, it is sad but true.

Pretty disappointing

[Havgar · 6/10 · 30 July 2013]

I decided to see this movie, in part, thanks the two very positive reviews that it had right here on IMDb. While I did see quite a few positive aspects of the movie, I was left feeling disappointed overall.

I won't discuss the plot at all here - you can get that from the IMDb page or the other reviews. I will, instead, look at what the film does well, and at what it does not do well.

What the film does well is create a very tense situation for our characters, where we spend a good deal of time on the edge of our seats. These characters have to navigate the very brutal world around them, trying to make ends meat. They are living in constant fear, they have no security, there are no social structures in place to help them (the kinds of social structures we take for granted in most first world countries). These aspects of the film are done very well.

Likewise done very well is the cinematography, where you will note the lack of excessive use of shaky cam or other annoying techniques. Finally, the acting is pretty solid overall, with a few exceptions.

The film does a few things quite poorly. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that it fails to create an engaging plot, the plot certainly leaves a lot to be desired. It seems as though it was glossed over rather than fully developed. Moreover, the writing is pretty poor throughout the movie. Some scenes play out laughably unrealistically, while others just leave too much up in the air.

Finally, I would mention that despite the fact that film is categorized as "action", you should not expect any real action scenes of any value.

I rate this movie 6 out of 10, and I don't recommend it for the average movie-goer, although those who have an inclination for one or more of the elements the film focuses around may find it enjoyable.

Good story but bad acting

[Vincentneri84 · 5/10 · 18 April 2014]

This movie could have been great if the acting was better. The story has potential though the script is a bit off. They used some formal Filipino language for conversations that it sounded unreal. The tone of the actors also sounded scripted.

*Spoiler Alert* There are some scenes that looked impossible and sometimes stupid. An average Filipino can't bring a gun in an airplane. You won't even pass the boarding area with a knife. Nobody robs an airplane. It could have been possible in the Philippines if it was a bus. You wouldn't bring your whole family in the city away from your hometown with a couple of hundred pesos not knowing where to live and get money to buy food to eat. It's just... .

The only thing I liked in this movie is the cinematography and music. This movie is worth watching only because of the Yolanda proceeds. Let's help them.

WOW - Amazing and Realistic!

[bayareamike · 10/10 · 28 March 2014]

I'll briefly go into my background. I married a Filipina and though we were married in Cebu, I was in Manila several times for visits to the Embassy to get her Visa. Overall, I have been to the Philippines nine times in total and know it rather well for being an American.

The story is amazing and the quality of the film (actual direction, camera work, scenery, acting, video quality, etc) is by far the best Philippine movie there is out there PERIOD! I found it memorizing as I felt as if I was there. It had the film quality of a big-budget American film that was filmed in a 3rd world Country that REALLY tells how things are for some people in other parts of the world.

Because I see Philippine movies and shows almost daily (in the background at home) and the quality is so bad, the last thing I really wanted to see is a Philippine movie. I know the Philippine people try their best when it comes to film given the tools they have to work with, but for anyone who is not a Filipino, their movies and TV shows are pretty bad and quite unwatchable. They enjoy them so I suppose that's what counts. However when I came across this film, the British Direction and the high IMDb ratings really excited me to actually see a well-made movie set in the Philippines! This outperformed and then some..... You'll witness first hand a honest and loving family risking everything for a better life only to go through unimaginable obstacles in the raw streets of Manila.

I can't wait to watch it with my wife! Even if I didn't have a Philippine connection, this is by far the best Foreign movie I have seen in years - Good job! A++

Harsh, unforgiving masterpiece.

[JohnLamberio · 9/10 · 2 April 2015]

I headed into this film with a glowing recommendation off a mate of mine. And it really delivers as story told where the viewer feels the crushingly powerless plight of the family, specifically the Husband. It also has a wider value in the commentary of urbanization of the modern world and the subsistence farmers being forced into leaving their livelihoods and traditions behind. It could double as a documentary!

It begins with the rice farming family not being able to make ends meet with their harvest for the season. They are forced to leave their home and find a means of feeding their children due to substantially lower prices being paid for their crop.

Upon arriving in Manila, a world away from their accustomed lifestyle, they are fish out of water. The hustle and bustle of city life makes any progress hard for them. Even when it seems progress is being made, corruption and greed stifle it.

Both the husband and wife find ways of making money, although the husband is not fond of the wifes choice...he understands from the desperation that no job is too immoral.

The films takes a couple of turns until its absolutely grandiose finale. And what an extraordinary end it has. I'm a heart of steel kinda guy, but this? This had me teary eyed and fully empathizing with the characters...

Brilliantly done, and I highly recommend it. 9/10

Great movie with an overdrawn exposition

[sjd912 · 10 January 2014]

Sean Ellis draw a beautiful picture about the cruelty of the third world life. He's great at portraying the poverty of Manila and the pain of the characters (even when most of the acting are bad). But there's nothing else in this film besides this. The first act is literally one and a half hour long, but after that, the movie turns out great. However, we get to see the characters suffer too much before the main plot gets started.

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10, because the setting and the world was interesting, and I liked the ending very much, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone would find it boring overall.

If poverty porn and heist movies had a child

[tabachoi · 7/10 · 24 March 2019]

If a movie has "Manila" in the title, you're correct to expect poverty porn, but this time the writers made sure to make it worth your while. This is a tale of migrant family who moves from the countryside to the crap-filled slums of the city, then after meeting dubious character after dubious character, decides that moving was a bad decision. Acting was good, especially Jake Macapagal and John Arcilla.

"We made a big mistake in coming to Manila"

[johnnyboyz · 8/10 · 27 May 2018]

The tone of "Metro Manila", a brilliant neo-realist drama, is well captured in the bleakness of the opening voice-over, when our lead speaks of how a man condemned to death by hanging needs not fear drowning in the water below him if the gallows are built high enough. The film does not necessarily make for grim, nihilistic viewing, but it is, for a lot of its runtime, very real and very authentic in a rather grim place. Its director, a Briton called Sean Ellis, peppers the film with a very distinct sense that hope, even affluence, is right there, but only if you can uncover it - people seem to be able to carve out decent lives for themselves in a zone that is fairly impoverished, but getting that 'break' remains inherently elusive. It is as if you can reach out and touch the success, but it is always just far away enough.

Aside from anything else, this is a terrifically well-crafted film - its movement from one thing to another, never settling into one genre or deriving its influence from one place for too often, is a joy to behold. Indeed, the places to which "Metro Manila" ends up going nearer the end demonstrate absolutely no evidence of being there for the first half of the piece, which draws on the likes of Iranian film-maker Mohsen Makhmalbaf and even the early films of the Italian neo-realist movement concocted on the streets of post-war Italy.

Jake Macapagal plays Oscar Ramirez, no one any more or less extraordinary than anybody else, who lives on a rudimentary farm in the Filipino countryside with his young wife Mai (Althea Vega) and infant children. Life on the farm is humble, peaceful and simple but complications to do with costs and market forces result in the Ramirez family not earning enough for their rice crop to get by for the next year. As a result, the leads are torn out of their environment and into something very different: the cauldron of the bustling capital of the titular Manila.

The transition quite literally feels like an eviction: the city is busy, noisy - men of working age huddle around noticeboards looking for working opportunities and all manner of danger and thievery are rife. It is when our family lose their remaining currency and residency through a confidence trick that things become desperate, Ellis essentially beginning the film all over again with a second initial incident to re-ignite what life in the city, this time, is all about. It forces the two parents into employment at any cost: Oscar moves into armoured van transportation and Mai into what we shall describe here as bar work.

Oscar's taking of the armoured van job moves the film into an altogether fresh direction - we are aware of the nature of life in Manila at a very grounded level, and so is Oscar. So much so that the audience and character experience them for the first time together: there exist hundreds of people living fairly desperate existences and will be aware of the vast sums of money now sharing a space with our lead. When he senses danger, we sense it with him. His work-colleague and co-rider in the truck is Ong (John Arcilla ), who seems to bury this stark and important reality in his brashness and drinking. Director Ellis' use of the juxtaposition between the classical music Ong listens to, and the rap music a suspicious car of thugs which keeps tailing them blare out, speaks volumes for the contrast we entrust to be true at the time, although is cleverly deceptive for reasons I will not reveal.

Likewise, Mai's position at a local nightspot outlet she must undertake to help with the family finances enables Ellis to break-down certain stereotypes which have become synonymous with young Asian women from this part of the world. Gone is the 'love-you-long-time' cliché; in its place, a very cold composition of the character in her underwear amongst a bevy of other young women staring off into space as she, one assumes, realises this is what she must do to get by. Mai and the other women are not photogenic backdrops to a film about somebody else - Ellis has really got under the skin of who she is and why she is there.

Reading about the production of the film, from the moment Ellis got the inspiration for the piece by looking at two armoured guards having an argument beside a truck during a trip to the Philippines, right the way through to the eight month edit process by way of shooting on a shoestring budget with no real money in a language he didn't speak, it is to everyone's credit that "Metro Manila" is as good as it is. The film is unnerving, heart-wrenching and thoroughly involving; right the way up to its chilling final few scenes and is thoroughly recommended.

Heartfelt but obvious

[paul2001sw-1 · 7/10 · 24 October 2015]

Sean Ellis's film 'Metro Manila' is a well-made, but mostly predictable story about life in the slums of the capital of the Phillipines: indeed, with its story of a good man forced to do dangerous things by hard times, it could almost be a Ken Loach film. The acting is good and the movie nicely captures the different sides of the city, but the characters and situations presented all feel a little too black-and-white to be wholly convincing. The fact that the plot turns on a set of secret keys stored in an office everyone knows never to be locked also strains credulity. But the basic message here - don't, whatever you do, be poor - is heartfelt and communicated well.

Informative and Moving

[valen060 · 10/10 · 22 August 2014]

This film titled 'Metro Manila' sure caught me by surprise upon hearing of how the Philippines is way different from that of the stateside. To speak briefly as a Filipino-American, I felt proud to see such a movie show the country where my family's roots originated. Not to mention how the city of Manila can be manipulative if you're not careful or not familiar at all to its foreign customs.

Back to the movie, the plot of an impoverished man named Oscar Ramirez bringing his family away from their rural home and into the more modernized area of the Philippines is a big change for them. Despite being in a new surrounding, it isn't easy for Oscar to get around much since the people there can be rough and the area is not familiar much with him. It then changes when he finds a prosperous job, but is unaware that his workplace might not be all what it seems.

British filmmaker Sean Ellis sure did an impressive job directing and revealing the Philippines in its imperfect, but purposeful glory. My mindset had me thinking it was a form of documentary, but that was not the case. About fifteen to twenty minutes into the movie, it slowly started to remind me of the 2008 film 'Slumdog Millionaire' in terms of an impoverished individual who tries to make something of himself and prove he's not worthless. Except in the latter, director Danny Boyle was exploring India that was based on a book about class barriers being broken by children of the slums. But in 'Metro Manila,' a married man with family is trying to build up from his derelict lifestyle, much like Slumdog's lead Jamal, but with purposes different from the latter. Overall, the movie felt moving, thrilling, and complex yet intriguing at the same time. I've visited the Philippines in my childhood more than once and one things for sure, among the many cousins and relatives I have that live there, we pretty much stick together like a big family. For Oscar willing to move ahead in life, even through the most dire of consequences, what matters to him the most above all is his family. I can relate to that and I recommend this movie not just for its culture or ethnic background, but such morals can exist anywhere in the world regardless of who you are or where you're from.

Strong social drama

[dakjets · 7/10 · 27 November 2021]

Metro Manila is a great alternative to a movie night. The realism of the film shows the harsh reality of the family in this film. Here they do not meet much kindness and goodwill in meeting the big city. Social drama and insight into how difficult it is to be poor, at the mercy of the opportunities that arise. The film is demanding to watch in the way that when something positive finally happens, it does not last long. We who are lucky to live good lives need to be reminded that this is not the case for everyone on this planet. Metro Manila gives us a real wake-up call.

An Edgier side of Urban Life

[Reepicheep14 · 8/10 · 17 October 2013]

With the films made in the capital of the Philippines was made like Serbis(2008) by Brilliante Mendoza, Kubrador(2006) by Jeffrey Jeturian that received acclaim locally and internationally. Now, we have another film that takes us ones again with the streets of Manila once more, and one thing that surprised me would be, first, it was directed by a British director, Sean Ellis.

A farmer named Oscar Ramirez, decided to move at the wonders of Metro Manila with his family in order to fulfill a better life, but ends up tasting a harsh and edgier side of the city, with deception, he ends up working as a driver/courier for a truck.

Sadly, when I watched the film in Trinoma, missed the film's first ten minutes of it; I first saw were a short montage of Oscar and his family arriving in Manila. I like the way how the director shot those montage in establishing the gritty and its backward atmosphere, from the streets of Quiapo to Avenida.

The pacing of the film (though I missed the first ten minutes of it as mentioned above) was completely fluid, from entering the dangerous and gritty Manila, the desperation of surviving and looking for a job and taking us to the third act was pumping that it felt like a heart beating so fast – it was very nostaligic and a complete tour-de-force. Theere were also few snippets (that I found very poetic) that caught me, such as the cat taking care of the children that somewhat reflected on Mai and Oscar, being very protective of their children

Aside from the film's realistic narrative and depiction of the country's system, the performances blended so well-played that they set the benchmark of the people living in an urban life. Starting with Jake Macapagal's performance as Oscar Ramirez, he was very believable both as a father and someone coming from the province, not to mention of how he played his character in such a range of emotions – from desperate to funny, especially his scenes with John Arcilla, where he had a very good chemistry.

Speaking of which, John Arcilla's Ong the film's weight and was a complete standout because of his portrayal as a mentor, and his "know it all" vibe was justified so well and his flashback scenes showed range of his acting chops, particularly his monologue about him seeing his partner getting killed by goons; one scene in the third act where he confronted Oscar on getting back with the people who killed his partner, he delivered his lines so emotional and very personal that it hits you through out and gives sympathy at the same time – he made the audience feel his own grief and loss.

With the great performances and amazing screen presence of Jake Macapagal and John Arcilla, Althea Vega who plays Mai Macapagal didn't share the same level as the other two main cast members, she lacked any screen presence, the complexity and her emotions seemed very forced and there were times that she could be either dull or just plainly terrible, despite of the well-written character for her, I find it a huge disappointment of how she portrayed it. In the scene where she was was being serxually harassed by an American customer, there was no emotion in it, she completely lacked the vulnerable side of Mai, another scene where she met the employer Charlie (who happened to be a woman) and decides to take the job, I didn't feel her determination, it was more like, "look, I'm acting" vibe. Althea Vega was completely a miscast and I hope they cast someone who can actually act (Like Mercedes Cabral) and doesn't deliver the lines as if reciting a poem.

The bit players like Mailes Canapi as Charlie, Mai's ignorant yet straightforward employer. Moises Magisa as Buddha, the vain, indulgent and grotesque boss. And lastly, JM Rodriguez as Alfred Santos who owns a fabric business and went downhill; despite of a given screen time in these bit players, they gave the best they can in spite of the material they were given – its such a rarity of having these minor roles being memorable(especially JM's Alfred in the plane scene).

In terms of cinematography, the distorted and shaky camera angles and compositions achieved the wild, gritty environment of metro manila, the close-up shots on the characters showed more emotions, not to mention the shots in the armored truck gave it a secured and secret feel. The shaky shots for me somewhat was excessively used and there were times I find it quite distracting.

Overall, the film's title lived up with the culture, society and its system, Sean Ellis' vision was perfectly executed, well-written characters, the surreal atmosphere, the struggles and hardships. Metro Manila offers a tale, showing the other side of the urban life.

Heart Warming

[pacoundouriotis · 10/10 · 11 January 2017]

I really enjoyed this movie. The plot was very suspenseful and the acting for the most part was a lot better than I expected considering the movies we saw in the first semester. Being bilingual, I was surprised to find out how similar Filipino/Tagalog was to Spanish. There were a fair amount of instances where I could sort of infer what they were saying without reading the subtitles. I found the main character to be a very likable person. It was also really cool to see how different urban life and people are compared to rural ones. When Oscar moved in from a farm to the city, you could tell he was very different from everyone else. He was generally a nicer, more considerate person. The way he is juxtaposed with his work partner, Ong, really brings out his differences. One case of this is when they just come out of the American's hotel room. Once they get back on the truck, Ong suggests they go back in and steal the money and the cocaine. Oscar naturally refuses and it is almost clear that this idea would ever come across his head. Another thing i really like about Oscar is that he does everything he can for his family, not himself. Like when he doesn't eat the meal that his partner bought for him, he saves it instead to feed his kids. And then obviously at the end of the movie, he actually dies to rescue his family from the slums, protecting their future.

Interesting film from the Philippines, part social commentary part crime movie

[Andy-296 · 8/10 · 3 August 2014]

Oscar Ramirez (Jake Macapagal), his wife Mai (played by the lovely Althea Vega) and their two young children live in the Filipino countryside as impoverished farmers. With no prospects ahead, they decide to move to the huge megalopolis of Manila. However they soon find themselves there struggling, with no jobs, no place to live and conned out of their few savings. Things seem to start going up a bit when the seemingly naïve Oscar finds a job as a chauffeur in an armored delivery company and Mai as a hostess in a seedy bar. Oscar's coworker Douglas (John Arcilla, in a great performance as a deeply corrupt man) seems too friendly, even giving him for free an apartment for him and his family to live. And if this seems too good, it is, since he has some nasty criminal plans for Oscar.

The first part of the film is social commentary on the reality of a megacity like Manila, the second part becomes more of a genre film (I found the social commentary side of the movie more appealing than the genre side). The director, Sean Ellis, is English, and in fact has only visited the Philippines once before filming. Despite not knowing the local language, he makes a very intriguing and interesting film.