Lola (2009)

I had watched my first Brillante Mendoza film entitled Lola. My teenage sister bought a cd of it for an assignment and we viewed it together in our living room. the moment it played on our tv screen, you would immediately conclude that this movie was the real definition of "indie".

Lola seemed to be captured on a shaky handy-cam or maybe, a cellphone with a trusted video. It didn't frequently cut from one angle to another since the camera just moved from the one person who was uttering some lines to another character who had the turn for his/her spiel. Nevertheless, the cinematographer incorporated wide angle views and far shots that were very adroitly taken.

photo credit: www.pep.ph

The heartwarming film is a story about a lola (grandmother) who intrepidly searched for justice for his grandson who was killed by an unknown guy. She was caught up amidst the difficult situation of forgiving the suspect behind his son's death since the former's main folk who was asking for dispense was also a grandmom like her. She could perceive how tough it was for this woman of same age and who was also living in poverty as her to be undergoing such wearisome and arduous process.

The two actresses who played the lolas naturally performed their roles, making scenes utterly sincere. They skillfully adapted to the slum environment that the characters lived in and to the absurd situations that accompanied it. Example was the drudgery of being able to process government forms just so court hearings  may push through.

Furthermore, forgiveness and understanding reigned at the end of the movie. The two determined lolas were hapless victims of unwanted circumstances which were out of their control. Since the suspect’s party made an effort to admit their mistakes and humbled themselves, the other party settled and made peace with them so that both could move on with their respective lives.

Indeed, the film spurred in me how love for family could conquer whatever trial that may come their way no matter what your status is in the society. Even the poor could find the most desperate option just to find solution to a family member’s problem even if this means spending a lot of money.

Poverty isn’t a pretext to finding justice and truth in this world where everything seems to revolve around money. Through love and hope, one can find equality in a community replete with corruption since there are many solutions as long as one bravely looks for it despite lack of bucks and education.