There is truth in this line: Life is what you make it.
In the film REWIND, a screenplay written by Enrico Santos, and directed by Mae Cruz Alviar–the theme of existentialism is presented to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023 moviegoers. It features the reel-and-real celebrity couple–Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera.
It may seem simple in its plot, but Santos could surprise the audience with a twist in the film’s conclusion. Life, Death, Tragedy, and Love are some of man’s complex quests to finding one’s ultimate purpose.
REWIND isn’t a new way of telling a story with an Existentialism theme. Some of Hollywood’s popular films that offered such themes are The Truman Show (1998) by Jim Carrey, The Keanu Reeves-starrer The Matrix (1999), Another Carrey-starrer with Kate Winslet–the Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004), and Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)–the winner of Best Picture at the 87th Academy Awards that starred Michael Keaton in the lead role.
In REWIND, Santos creatively puts a Filipino flavor into telling the story of John and Mary (Dantes and Rivera) as a long-time sweetheart from childhood until they become adults and eventually end up as husband and wife. If moviegoers are keen enough to observe–even at the beginning of the film–they’d be able to figure out the story’s point of view.
Both lead stars–the husband and wife tandem of Dantes and Rivera fit well into the characters Santos has envisioned onscreen. The film’s director Mae Cruz Alviar deeply explored the core of the two lead stars’ emotions–the pain of losing something they hold dear–their love, dreams, and family.
In the story, John has lost his way. The once loving, patient, and devoted husband and father turned into a bitter shell of a man. Mary has lost herself. For years, she’s always put everyone else above her desires and wants. One day, an accident took Mary’s life. In a snap, she loses her life without getting a chance to answer any of her what-ifs, while John has to live with all of his. While grieving, John has an extraordinary proposition to rewind time and save the life of the woman he loves.
With that proposition, will John be able to figure out a way to make things right for him? Will he be able to reconcile all the things he messed up?
The inclusion Pepe Herrera‘s character in the story is brilliant enough to be non-distracting but still integral in John’s journey to self-realization. There’s nothing spectacular in the film except for its big twist at the end. Here’s a caution for the moviegoers–make sure to bring in a bunch of Kleenex to dry up your tears.
Lito Pimentel‘s recurring appearances is also noticeable. His character helps John find his way to his ultimate quest. Jordan Lim, the adorable son of John and Mary, also holds the key to John’s conversion.
REWIND provides the audiences with a visual representation of the voices in our heads. John’s life is a vehicle for the moviegoers to answer questions we often ask ourselves: What is the meaning of life?
