Film description

Contemporary Manila. In the poorer areas of the city, people are dying every day as a result of the politics of president Duarte, who is using drastic means to fight drug addiction problem. It is a story of a middle-aged couple occasionally selling stimulants to their neighbors to make ends meet. They quit when the danger becomes too great, but the mobsters controlling the whole operation will not forgive them for leaving the business.

Dynamic action, intriguing supporting characters, and a detailed social panorama of contemporary Philippines make for a powerful, topical cinema. Putting unusual protagonists in the spotlight allows the director to show the social costs of political struggle born by regular citizens, who are often stuck in dead end situations. Without justifying their actions, he shows the reality in a nuanced honest manner, leaving the audiences with many open questions.

Jagoda Murczyńska