In the film, bits of social pragmatics were embedded by Mendoza as it dealt with both lesbianism and traditional matrimonial practices.
VIVA FILMS
Actors: Jela Cuenca, Cara Gonzales, Luis Hontiveros, Rash Flores
Genre: Sexy, Drama
Premise: When a dare pushes two couples into an orgy, suppressed feelings rekindle between the two ladies, who were once bestfriends and lovers. (Vivamax)
Running Time: 104 minutes
Director: Brillante Mendoza
Watch it on: Vivamax, web.vivamax.net
Why You Should See It:
The lots of foursome action in this new Brillante Mendoza film will very likely keep viewers glued on their device’s screen, but there may find more intrigued in the girl-to-girl action that also comes aplenty in this feature. Palitan comes on the heels of Vivamax’ s overwhelming success that is largely fueled by its string of sexy drama films. In this steamy drama, newcomers Cara Gonzales and Jela Cuenca, are the object of attraction of the two male leads, Luis Hontiveros and Rash Flores, as they are also each other’s greatest affection.
Palitan follows sweethearts James (Hontiveros) and Jen (Gonzales), who are preparing for their wedding. Their special day is going to be pre-empted by the wedding of Jen’s friend, Marie (Cuenca), for whom Jen is taking the role of a bridesmaid. She takes James with her and comes home to her province, Quezon, to join the occasion.
Jen and Marie’s past affair becomes clear right at the first moment of their reunion, which becomes the biggest crux for Al (Flores), Marie’s fiancé.
It took a hefty one hour of wedding preparations and semi-sex encounters before the real action commences in the film. A steamy and playful bachelorette party for Jen and a stag party for Al, give the film a proper take-off, for more daring actions to come. A series of four-some and lesbian action inevitably propels the proceedings forward, but it takes a pause at one point to resolve the plot’s main conflict: Jen and Marie’s still ongoing affair.
Mendoza’s affinity towards socio-political concerns is well-imbued on the fabric of his semi-erotic tale, although here, he has tamed them to keep his main agenda get overshadowed. He touches on traditional matrimonial practices. It gives a special highlight on how families share the burden of pulling off a grand wedding together, even at the expense of their livelihood. Lesbianism isn’t foreign as far as local cinema is concerned, although it has taken a halt in the wake of ‘bomba’’ cinema’s dormancy in the late 2010s.
Its recent resurgence during the pandemic somewhat suggests it has found a new life. In Palitan, Brillantes tries to shed light upon same-sex romance between females, although it’s hard to say he succeeded in his goal.
5 – Excellent
4 – Very good
3 – Good
2 – Tolerable
1 – Terrible
Stream Palitan now on VIVAMAX app or web.vivamax.net.
