Carlo Enciso Catu’s unique love story that involves three seniors is a painful reminder of the thing most of us fear most: dying alone.
Bene (Dante Rivero) lives out the rest of his days inside his gloomy, ramshackle home, with nothing to do but take care of his game cocks.
Terminally ill, Bene has no intention to get treatment. He basically has given up on life because there was nothing else for him. He was estranged from his son, Chito (Romnick Sarmienta) and wife Tere (Perla Bautista).
One day, he decides to call Tere to seek assistance. Reluctant at first, and encouraged by her partner Celso (Menggie Cobarrubias), Tere decides to pay her estranged husband a visit in their old home in Pampanga.
“Kung Paano Hinihintay Ang Dapithapon” is a touching story that tackles familiar familial issues using a different approach. It’s unconventional in the sense that we are presented with a (somehow) love triangle where you may not necessarily root for one more than the other.
That’s because both men are endearing. Celso, as a very supportive but a little insecure partner, portrays a mature kind of love that’s willing to endure pain.
In one scene, Celso tells Tere that he hopes she still loves him when they wake up the next morning. This hint of insecurity is something anyone, regardless of age, can relate to. He clearly wants nothing more than securing Tere’s love but he is not too selfish to keep his wife from seeing an ex-husband.
And that’s why you secretly hope that Tere returns home that night, because we feel for Celso.
On the other hand, Bene is rootable because of his miserable situation. He is suffering internally as bad as he is suffering on the outside. As Tere continues to care for him during his last days, we sometimes find ourselves hoping they would come together.
But revelations of feelings long kept hidden make all three realize where they are in this cruel game of love and romance.
There are no explosive scenes in “Dapithapon.” In fact, many of its compelling moments come from the quietest scenes. Like that one where Tere is giving Bene a bath and years’ worth of emotions and unexpressed thoughts poured out.
The movie can be considered a little slowburn but you will eventually realize that the movie is actually simmering until it reaches the point where you will find yourself resisting the urge to cry.
That urge mostly comes from Bene’s fate; the realization that that is all there is for the man. As much as he regret the sins of his past and would want to correct those mistakes, there is nothing he can do but wait for sunset.
Directed by: Carlo Enciso Catu
Stars: Perla Bautista, Dante Rivero, Mengg Cobarrubias, Romnick Sarmienta
