The Woman in the Septic Tank (2011) User Reviews

Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, which takes deft aim at stereotypes of Filipino film and society, was my favorite of the 2012 Berlinale.

[avery-21 · 8/10 · 30 March 2012]

"With this film, we go to the festival in Berlin!" Written by Chris Martinez and directed by Marlon Rivera, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank) is the most successful independent film in the history of Philippine cinema, winning best actress, best screenplay, best director and best film at Cinemalaya. Very rare for a home-grown indie, it was picked up for a commercial run by one of the country's biggest film companies and became the highest grossing independent Filipino film, the Philippines' entry for the 2011 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film, and was short-listed for the Oscar.

The title may be a sly reference to Mario O'Hara's Babae sa Breakwater (Woman of Breakwater), one of a legacy of fine movies dealing with poverty in the Philippines, which rightfully garnered festival screenings and critical praise in the first decade of the 21st century, but also inspired lesser efforts dubbed as "poverty porn" and "cinema of misery". Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, which takes deft aim at these preconceptions of Filipino film and society, was my favorite of the 2012 Berlinale.

Ang Babae sa Septic Tank begins with a film-within-the-film Walang-Wala ("Have Nothing"), a stereotyped portrait of Mila, the destitute mother of seven children (or maybe nine) who dolls up her pre-teen daughter (or maybe son) to pimp her/him out to Mr. Smithberger, an elderly Western sex tourist (or maybe Asian, or Filipino).

We learn that three young film-school graduates – director Rainier de la Cuesta (Kean Cipriano), producer Bingbong (JM de Guzman) and production assistant Jocelyn (Cao Cortez) – are planning their first film, engineered as the ultimate in poverty porn, as their route to fame and fortune on the international festival circuit, and ultimately to the foreign-film Oscar.

In the course of one day, they brainstorm possible treatments of their project as a gritty no frills neo-realist film, a glossy musical, an over-the-top melodrama, and a docu-drama. On a scouting expedition, they visit the Payatas dumpsite, whose denizens expertly deconstruct their car.

Wanting a big name for the lead in their movie, the team imagines Mercedes Cabral (Serbis) and Cherry Pie Picache (Foster Child) in the role of Mila before setting their sights on the grand diva Eugene Domingo.

First-time director Marlon Rivera's crack comedic timing showcases spot-on performances by Kean Cipriano, JM de Guzman, and Cao Cortez and notable cameos by Mercedes Cabral and Cherry Pie Picache. But the film's backbone is Eugene Domingo's generous, affecting, and wildly funny performance, including a manic master class in the three acting styles of a Filipina diva. Vincent de Jesus's accordion-inflected score is perfectly at one with this brilliant farce.

A Different Comedy Film Experience

[3xHCCH · 7/10 · 4 August 2011]

Watching "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" is a unique look inside the processes of movie-making which we as laymen are not usually privy. We were walked through a script in progress from the brainstorming, to the problems and eventual compromising involved in the areas of casting, production design and location by young director Rainier (Kean Cipriano), his producer Bingbong (JM de Guzman) and their generally silent production assistant Jocelyn (Cai Cortez).

Their movie called "Walang Wala" dealt with a poor mother from the slums who was forced by dire circumstances to a despicably desperate way to earn money. It was very interesting to actually see this very serious "movie-within-the-movie," which was originally planned to have a quiet indie drama treatment, reinterpreted as a docu-drama, then into a musical and even into commercial melodrama. It was also amusing to see different actresses play the mother role of Mila as the filmmakers discussed their casting choices.

Cipriano and de Guzman play their respective roles in a very straight- forward way, as you would expect new, young, idealistic and enthusiastic indie filmmakers were to behave in real life. You can really feel their frustrations as their dream project goes further and further away from their original vision. Warning to people sensitive to cuss words: they fly liberally here and not bleeped out.

As their "star", Eugene Domingo again goes to town playing herself! When she delivers her killer punchlines, you can see writer Chris Martinez's triumphant contentment as his words are delivered with perfect timing. That Best Actress award she received in the New Breed category is fully deserved. That incredible last scene alone would have earned her the prize already.

It is no wonder that this film was the most popular entry in the recently concluded Cinemalaya Film Festival last month. No wonder also that it swept the major prizes in the New Breed (Full Length) Category, winning Best Picture, Best Director (Marlon Rivera), Best Screenplay (Chris Martinez), Best Actress (Eugene Domingo) and the Audience Choice Awards. It was so successful at the festival that Star Cinema picked it up for the wide theatrical distribution that it so richly deserves.

OK it is still an indie film so you will expect the film quality to be not too polished. The camera in some scenes especially in the beginning were not too focused. The lighting for a lot of indoor scenes were insufficient. In any case, for its excellent writing and execution, this film is definitely another important success in the history of Philippine cinematic comedy.

I Fell Asleep Watching Some Parts

[makiy1 · 6/10 · 13 September 2021]

Okay, maybe it was because we were from a long trip coming from our team building activity so, I can't entirely blame the movie. 😅 Eugene Domingo is a great actress no doubt about it. I love her comedic style through and through.

I guess the parts that really hit my snooze button was the scene where they played the same scene for 5 times as I can remember. Coupled with the tiredness of my body, I honestly can say that it sustained my interest.

And the whole gag of the plot was...she fell in the septic tank which is the title of the movie!

A Must-See, Brilliant, & Thought-Provoking Satire

[tripxyde · 14 August 2011]

Somewhere in the downtrodden slums of Metro Manila lives Mila, a miserably struggling mother living in sheer poverty with her 7 (or was it 9?) children. Because of their miserable condition, she decides to sell one of her children to a foreigner. But Mila is merely a character in the indie film that producer JM De Guzman, director Kean Cipriano, and production assistant Cai Cortez set out to make. They are inspired and are bent to achieve Film Festival glory. In doing so, they employ the ace under their sleeves; actress and superstar Eugene Domingo.

ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK is actually a brilliant, thought-provoking satire of the current Indie Film Industry & the hypocrisy in the minds of those who only wish to become Film Festival Superstars. Those who might think this is the usual Eugene Domingo wild and zany comedy (coz the abs-cbn trailer makes the movie look like a wacky comedy e), I'm just reminding you that this one is more of satire than comedy, meaning most of the stuff that's funny here are funny coz these things are real. It's a "Bato-bato sa Langit" sort of movie.

At the very core of it, the film-makers are three rich kids who never really care about the misery of poverty, for which their film touches on. Their film is entitled "Walang Wala" which is supposed to lament on the desperation of a mother who would sell her child just for some relief. At one point, they even contemplate on trying to find a real-life subject matter. The characters' hypocrisy is given a spotlight as the film shows us the glaring irony when we see how the three kids actually live a materialistic, worry-free, urban rich lifestyle. It is clear that the main characters don't care too much about the people stricken with poverty; they're merely interested in becoming film festival superstars.

You can say that it does not become preachy because it did not dwell too long on the film's serious moment, it did not spell out or give too much emphasis on what's unpleasant about the characters, and the character's enlightenment was not even clear if they did get some sense of wisdom or realization in the end. All it did was show us what does exist, and despite its subtlety, you can see all the obvious bad things about the industry.

One could say that the character of Mila exists in real life Manila, somewhere, there are two or more Milas who are going through the same fate. I think that angle is depicted in the movie; in its first few sequences wherein Eugene Domingo acts out who or what the real life Mila could be like. This sequence, which is in the intro, is the serious tone in the movie, where Eugene Domingo is indeed given a chance to show off her serious acting side.

The film exposes many of the industry's unpleasant habits in a single blow; it parodies not only the indie film scene, but the mainstream film industry as well. Later on as the story progresses, when our three main characters meet the "real actress" Eugene Domingo, they are put on a difficult position when Domingo uses her influence to alter the script. And the result of it is what usually happens in reality: impressive screenplays are reduced into corny melodrama or commercial garbage. There is a sequence here that shows us what really is wrong with commercial mainstream cinema; the treatment, as if it was made for idiots and the blatant product placements are all what mainstream media has been feeding its audiences. In the movie, Domingo uses her dominant influence, and the indie filmmaker is left with nothing but to bow down, if not make risky compromises.

If there was one thing that I complained about the movie is that it ended all too abruptly without some kind of grand closure, be it physical or dramatic. Perhaps the movie was all too conscious of how they parody filmmakers who inject immensely dramatic impact on the climax, to the point that when the story went to the direction that we expect the main characters to have some sort of realization, it does not happen, the film was over-conscious not to be a victim of its own parodying. But then again, the running time that played within the minimum 1 hour and 30 minutes was noticeable because the story never had a dragging moment; each moment was amusing, interesting, and thought-provoking.

ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK is a must-watch in order to understand what really is wrong with the film industry. This is one movie that I would urge everyone to see.

So hilarious you will be moved to tears

[jaychou_21 · 9/10 · 19 July 2011]

We watched this film on its gala premiere at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and it was pure ecstasy.

‎"Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" chronicles a day in the life of three ambitious, passionate but misguided filmmakers who are dead set on making an Oscar-worthy film.

This intelligent comedy is a social commentary, a musical, a docu film, an over-the-top melodrama, and an overdosage of hilarity all rolled into one. Go see this and prepare to laugh until you drop! This movie-within-a-movie sets the bar high for future local comedy films. The plot is interesting, the script is well-written, the production values are grander than the usual indie film, and the casting couldn't be any more perfect.The performances are superb: Kean Cipriano and JM de Guzman are surprisingly good and they make up for an impeccable tandem; Mercedes Cabral and Cherry Pie Picache both delivered remarkable cameos, and Eugene Domingo's star shone the brightest in this film. She will reap awards for her role in this movie.

Written by Chris Martinez and directed by Marlon Rivera, "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" is a work of true genius. Imagination, creativity, and raw talent converged to create this well-executed comedy that is smart, modern, and relevant.

This is, without a shadow of a doubt, the wittiest local movie I have ever seen.

Good for some laughs

[Sirfaro11 · 5/10 · 26 May 2012]

No doubt that Eugene Domingo's antics are funny and she has proved that being overly melodramatic can be funny. Yes, it's a "different" movie, poking fun of indie movies as the director and producer find ways on how to sell their movie to film fests. The supporting cast as well as the script all contribute to the whole of the movie as best as they can.

But I don't know what entered the minds of the people deciding on which movie to send to Oscar, that they decided to send this movie. No wonder it wasn't chosen as a finalist. Over the years, Filipinos keep hoping for at least a nomination but the first step really is to look at past winners, all with a good script and a worthy story to tell. Septic tank just is not good enough for Oscar. (although I don't have a suggestion since I haven't seen the rest of the contenders).

Septic tank is good for some laughs, but that's it.

Funniest film I've seen this year!

[twdetox · 14 October 2011]

I recently visited this beautiful country on business and got a break from work. I went to Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and watched what i call the funniest film i have seen this year.

The Philippines, sadly, is proud of a cinema that most of its citizens have not seen. It is proud of a cinema that is taken hostage by the international film festivals that dictate upon it its inevitable direction. It is proud of a cinema that is only part of a vicious cycle of international demands and artists too willing to fill in these demands. Of course, that is only one spectrum of the debate. The other spectrum belongs to what's right in Philippine cinema, which is obviously not the focus of Martinez and Rivera and would have made the film a less effective parody.

With its brave and seamless sense of humor, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank is a sure crowd-pleaser. However, let not its comedic machinations be mistakenly considered as the summation of the bigger, more complex and more beautiful thing that is Philippine cinema.

Eugene Domingo's Film All the Way

[pope_innocentyears · 10 April 2012]

First and foremost, I have not read a single review for the movie "Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank", so as not to influence my critique.

Secondly, being that this is a well-loved movie, allow me to put the blame upon all the made-up hype and propaganda claiming that this film is too good to be true; and I hold the people's word-of-mouth liable for what may sound as a bad assessment coming from me.

"Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank" stars Eugene Domingo, JM De Guzman, and Kean Cipriano, and it is an inside look into the creation of Filipino indie (independent) movies through the misadventures of three (no, two!) young filmmakers. Eugene Domingo plays a fictional version of herself (and perhaps realistic versions of well-known Filipina actresses) who is asked to be the star in the movie that will be shot and filmed by the producer played by JM De Guzman and idealistic director played by Kean Cipriano. Not to give away any important details, the movie is about the brainstorming of two filmmakers on how to go about creating THE movie masterpiece worthy of the annual foreign film festival circuit, and along way they encounter mishaps and strange circumstances. The premise of the film-within-the-film deals with Ms. Domingo as a mother who was forced to sell one of her children to a pedophile due to extreme poverty. It seemed as though the entire movie is an acting piece made with her in mind; a well-written personal resumé to keep the juicy parts coming in. Now the bitter herbs: story-wise, there's not much to go on; just a day in the life of two individuals conversing about making a movie. The supposed "plot-twists" (two of them) are strategically placed in the final moments of the movie to add extra oomph to an otherwise-dreary storytelling; I'm not even going to say why the movie is called "Babae sa Septic Tank" because I just might ruin it for folks who have not seen it yet. One could swear that they took the plot from an old high school stage play trick wherein they act out a single scene in different styles (Violent, Melodramatic, Musical, Slow Motion, etc.). Creativity and effort towards direction and production design are unmistakable (given the probable lack of budget common to these kinds of movies), but it still lacks the grip to keep viewers interested until the very last moment.

The real gem of the movie is Eugene Domingo. It seemed as though the entire movie is an acting piece made with her in mind; a well-written personal resumé to keep the juicy parts coming in. Once again she proves her adaptability in different kinds of characters; even if it is just in one movie. She upstages every single actor and actress in all of the scenes she is in. She plays the prima donna, the poor mother, the Broadway performer, and the cliché drama actress all quite masterfully. The movie should have been titled "The Eugene Domingo Movie", but that would make one of her in-movie counterparts just too happy.

Altogether, "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" is quite forgettable, but nevertheless deserves applause for the effort. There were a lot of things that could have been done to make it way better. for some people it may be enough, but take Eugene Domingo away from it and the entire picture would be crumble to dust.

We can thank them for teaching some basics on budget filmmaking, though.