Note: I wrote this as an email letter
to director Erik Matti in July 2009, way before On The Job and right after he previewed The Arrival to a group of his friends and colleagues at Mogwai— the
restaurant in Cubao X that he owned but had to close a few years ago. Back in
2009, Erik asked what we thought of The
Arrival and so I wrote this to him.
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Personal movies always hold a special
place in my heart because they are the kind of films that directors really want
to do, when they are given the freedom they don't have when they're assigned a
studio movie. These films are who they really are, what they truly want to say
to the world.
The Arrival is Erik Matti's most
personal film to date. I do believe there are parts of him in projects like Scorpio Nights 2, Mano Po 2... and a lot of him in Prosti. :) But, how do I say this? The Arrival is so Erik.
I liked The Arrival because it's charming, poignant, funny, sweet (which—believe it or not—is what Erik Matti is in real life). After all, the guy
digs floral shirts, cooks and his heart melts just thinking of his two
daughters.
I think, The Arrival is to guys what rom-coms are to girls. Many girls probably think that most guys are out to have a
good time and break girls' hearts; some ladies do not realize that there are
men out there who are also vulnerable, passionate, steadfast, and stubborn when
it comes to matters of the heart. There might even be a lot of men like The
Arrival's Leo (Dwight Gaston).
Now that I remember Leo, he reminds
me of another unforgettable character in another unforgettable movie—Robert
de Niro in Taxi Driver. Like de
Niro's Travis, Leo is lonely and taken for granted. For three years, Leo has
been working as a book keeper in an office where co-workers don't remember his
name and treat him like shit. (One office mate tries to trick Leo about a project for work.)
Leo's home life is no different. He
lives alone with a goldfish as only companion. Neighbors seek Leo for
drinks, but only to uhm, borrow his folding table so they'd have something to
use for their drinking sprees. One of the images that stuck the most in my mind
was a neighbor pulling out the folding table while Leo was eating dinner of
rice and de-lata corned beef. Leo simply raised his plate and let the arrogant
neighbor take out the table from under his nose. Funny but sad.
So when Leo sees a way out of his
dead-end life, he pursues it without reservations. He leaves his job, his home,
destroys the SIM card of his cellphone so he can have a shot at happiness.
Again, much like many romantics, the
reason for Leo's renewed spirit is a woman, at least the idea of one. He thinks
he'd find his "dream girl" in the "dream house" that haunts
him in his sleep. The quest takes him to Murcia, a town that is not far from
Bacolod.
The second part of The Arrival takes place in rural Negros,
with most of the dialogue in Hiligaynon. This is where Leo's story takes a more
interesting turn since what happens in Murcia is not what he hoped or expected.
In any case, Leo encounters this single mom named Melanie in an ordinary way
(which he interprets as extraordinary) so he decides to stay longer in this
town. In the process he strikes a unique friendship with Arnel and Arnel's
friend who has a son who is about to graduate from high school.
We stayed tuned to Leo's character-defining
journey because Dwight Gaston infuses Leo with innocence and charm, one can't
help but reach out to the fellow. Leo starts out as a wimp and comes out a
stronger, more confident man. May I also say that, among many other things, I
adore the "malambing" way Leo calls Arnel "Nel."
The Arrival has sex, nudity, comedy,
romance, music, lovely locations - things that make for commercial
considerations. But it also talks about the disparity of city and rural living,
feel-good wishes and heartbreaking truths, hazy dreams and harsh realities.
At the risk of revealing too much,
towards the end, Leo is able to make one of his dreams come true—he builds
his dream house, one that is made of wood (and not concrete like the bungalow
that he saw in his sleep). Roomy, comfortable, rustic, real— and filled with
flowers.
I'd like to think that making The
Arrival is the fulfillment of Erik's most fondest wishes so far. The REAL Erik
Matti has arrived. He is home. And I am happy for him.
Congratulations Erik! God bless you!
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