I actually had no idea of the existence of Unfriend until I saw the trailer in JackTV. Instantly, I had to watch it, I thought. As I searched about it in the web, I was surprised when I realized that the movie was based on a not so old piece of news years ago about a shooting incident in a mall involving two teenage boys.
This sparked my interest and curiosity. As I continued researching, I found the news sad and frustrating. It could have been prevented since all the clues were on the victim’s Facebook wall. (This could always be one of the cons of social media. Not everything’s taken seriously, even something that could lead to a gruesome crime.)
Naturally, I wanted to know how the movie would play out this story that was misunderstood by most people not only because it was about homosexuality but also it involved two young minors.
Unfriend put viewers in the eyes of David (Sandino Martin) a homosexual teen presumably younger than his former-boyfriend Jonathan (Angelo Ilagan), who dumped him on Christmas Eve.
The movie revolved around David’s desperation to get Jonathan back. He would struggle with his emotions and develop some sort of obsessive and a self-destructive behavior. Although he had a loving grandmother that had no idea about his online life, his sole outlets were computer games and social media.
WARNING: SPOILERS AFTER THE JUMP!
Throughout the movie, it was strongly implied that just like any teenager, David was very much dependent on technology and connectivity.
David quickly updated his Facebook status after their break-up sex, laying out every emotion for all the world to see. He would carry his iPad even at Church and play Candy Crush during the mass. (We could all relate to this. Too bad, David had not Instagram-ed his food but what the heck, he had a selfie with Jonathan.)
Ironically, David had Facebook friends but he really did not have actual friends. He would only communicate with his mom who was abroad via Skype. The only people David had physical contact with were Jonathan and his grandmother (not counting the boy he had a one night stand with).
This “solitary confinement” somehow hindered him to move on. David would also send countless text messages to Jonathan, constantly waiting for him to call or respond and would spend a relevant amount of time deciphering his Facebook wall.
David’s “stalking” and constant exposure to Jonathan’s activities fueled his jealousy to turn into paranoia. Paranoia that little by little destroyed his connection to reality. He became more and more obsessed that he devised a plan to make Jonathan his forever.
Acting
What struck me the most were the performances of Sandino Martin and even Angelo Ilagan.
Even if Angelo’s character had only appeared in two or three scenes, he made an impact as the “ex-boyfriend”. (I won’t use the term “lover” like in most reviews I read. ) He was so natural and I believe that this could be a good comeback for the once promising actor.
Even more promising was new comer Sandino, 21 years old, who really became David, a child that was desperately in love. Most actors could play a gay man but there could be only a few who could play a gay tween and Sandino gave that perfectly. One memorable scene was when his mother asked him if he had a girlfriend. His reaction was so natural that the scene became funny because it was that relatable. And that song number was so good (BTW, does any one know the title of that song?). I could feel David’s vulnerability, his emotions that were buried under his happy and cheerful facade he created for his grandmother.
Speaking of David’s grandmother, Ms. Boots Anson-Roa played the caring grandmother oblivious to his grandson’s double-life. She knew that David was gay but he was not aware of what he had been going-through. She was so preoccupied with her own activities (i.e. watching religious TV shows) that she failed to look beyond David’s suspicious acts.
Oh, and then there’s this minor character Madonna, the gun dealer that procured the weapon for David. Her role was brief, but I felt she embodied her role as Madonna, the gun dealer. Hahaha. She was so natural that she was the most “indie” character in the movie. And her lines were so funny. *clap*clap*
Technical Stuff
The movie starts with montage accompanied by Sino ang Tunay na Baliw? instrumental, alluding to David’s mental state. Though I only realized it later, the first scenes were the break-up scenes. David and Jonathan were up in an unfinished building rooftop. David idly danced with the wind pretending to fall while Jonathan quietly watched.
Sino ang Tunay na Baliw? Lyrics
Sino’ng dakila? Sino ang tunay na baliw?
Sino’ng mapalad? Sino’ng tumatawag ng habag?
Yaong bang sinilang, na ang pag-iisip di lubos?
O husto ang isip, Ngunit sa pag-ibig ay kapos
The movie decided to present only David’s perspective of the story. Somehow, this was a “symbolism” of how limited David’s life was. Although the opportunities were endless in the virtual world, David managed to find himself boxed inside his love for Jonathan. As an independent film, the first person point of view worked to its advantage. This way, the audience could also feel what David felt. The sadness that paralyzed him. The jealousy that drove him crazy. The fear and paranoia that led him to the crime. It was like watching a one-person play where the character would just battle with his demons and eventually act on them. The audience were kept on their feet waiting for the “ending” to happen.
For the story, the simple structure of the script was okay. The dialogue was natural and what you would expect someone would say for those scenes. However, they could have added more that involved social media. They could have shown comments on David’s posts. Or David’s wall posts and status messages such that the audience could contrast how David actually felt to what he wanted his Facebook friends to know. Additionally, they could have let David interact with a friend or classmate online rather than in a gay bar. A hook-up on Christmas Eve was not really realistic and appeared forced for the sake of the sex scene.
Another thing was that, there were some moments where the camerawork was SUPER shaky. I know that this was supposed to make the film look more “indie” and “in the middle of the action” but it was just unbearable to watch at points.
The Ending
The end, though, felt really rushed. It deviated from the original events in the news item. This could have been done to throw a curve ball into the audience’s expected ending. But it lost the effect of what really happened. Had they stayed true to the events up to the very end, it would have made for a more poignant conclusion.
Moral of the Story
“For young people to have the power to get everything is very dangerous.”