Arayyy is no pain to watch - STARBYTES by Butch Francisco

Never judge a book by its cover. In the same manner, don’t judge a film by its title.

The title of the movie Arayyy is derived from the hit song of Mae Rivera. And anyone with a reasonably good ear for music will say that the lyrics and melody of this song are as cheap as its title. But in contrast, the film Arayyy – despite its title – is well-crafted and has serious intentions.

Directed by Don Escudero, whose best work as far as I am concerned is Hindi Magbabago (starring Rustom Padilla and Carmina Villarroel), Arayyy is another exposition on the world’s oldest profession. But this film is notches and notches higher than those run-of-the-mill sex movies that use the theme of prostitution as an excuse to show nudity on the screen.

Sure, Ana Capri has her breasts hanging out half the time here in Arayyy. But these are in scenes you can legitimately call "for the sake of art."

It’s just unfortunate that the story of Arayyy offers no new insight pertaining to the sex trade. Every scene we see here had been done to death in the past by countless other actresses playing streetwalkers.

Fortunately, Jose Javier Reyes, who does the script, provides the movie with delicious dialogues that will keep the viewers entertained all throughout the movie. Of course, we’re talking of racy and coarse language here, but then, this is a sex film geared for adults, so I absolutely find nothing wrong with that.

I also feel that this movie could have been edited a bit tighter because there are parts that are really slow.

But whatever flaws this film has, whether major or minor, may already be overlooked – thanks to the wonderful performances of the five young bold actors starring in this movie... believe it or not!

Actually, in the case of Ana Capri, this young actress has already proven to the public that she’s a brilliant performer. In the awards race last summer, for instance, she was in the running for both lead and supporting actress categories (for Pila-Balde and Sa Paraiso ni Efren, respectively). In the Gawad Urian of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, she was second to Elizabeth Oropesa who eventually scored a grand-slam for Bulaklak ng Maynila.

Here in Arayyy, she delivers another worthy performance as a hardened prostitute who – despite her heart being jaded – still has the capacity to care for other people, particularly her senile grandmother (played by Rustica Carpio).

As a foul-mouthed whore, not a single word of the crisp, vulgar dialogues given her is wasted because she delivers these lines realistically – and with the conviction of a drunken stevedore.

Ana Capri’s Arayyy co-star, Nini Jacinto, first impressed me when I saw her in Marilou Diaz Abaya’s Sa Pusod ng Dagat. She was still Apples Zuniga that time and I thought back then that she had a lot of potentials in her waiting to be tapped.

The year after that, however, came Burlesk King where she was a disaster. Not only was her acting bad. Her voice was also atrocious in that film. I even remember saying in my review of Burlesk King that a major malfunction of the recording equipment must have occurred while Nini Jacinto was dubbing her lines for the movie.

Her performance in Arayyy, however, has restored my confidence in this young actress. She may have sounded like Mickey Mouse in Burlesk King. But here in Arayyy, there is a marked improvement. Her voice already sounds like it is coming from one of those false mediums supposedly being possessed by the Sto. Nino.

But in spite of her squeaky voice, Nini Jacinto still does very well in this film as a working student forced into prostitution by extreme poverty. Between her and Ana Capri, it is Nini who gets more dramatic scenes. But to her credit, she goes through these parts like a film veteran.

Among the male stars, it is Simon Ibarra who comes out best – maybe because he gets to play the meatiest part (as an unhappily married man who finds comfort in Nini Jacinto).

Leonardo Litton and Rodel Velayo, the two other male stars in the film, sadly, are underutilized. But despite their rather insignificant roles in Arayyy, these two still manage to shine in their respective parts.

Actually, Arayyy – given its trite story – could easily be dismissed as just one of those films. But thanks to the meticulous handling of Don Escudero, the inventive dialogues of Jose Javier Reyes and the remarkable performances of the lead stars (and Manny Castañeda, too, as the pimp), the movie becomes totally entertaining.

Believe me, with all these elements combined, it’s really no pain to watch Arayyy.