“PAMILYA ORDINARYO”
2016's ‘Pamilya Ordinaryo, Directed by Eduardo Roy Jr.
Is a family portrait of Jane, 16, and her boyfriend, Aries, who live on their own in the chaotic streets of Manila. Surviving as pickpockets, the lives of the young couple change when they suddenly become teenage parents. But not even a month into parenthood, their child is stolen from them. In order to retrieve the child, the young couple is forced to take desperate measures.
I was nearly a teenage parent. I was a stupid, rebellious kid with an on-and-off, "ride or die" girlfriend who was also stupid and rebellious and eventually lived with me (at my parent's house) due to "an unstable living situation."
During our senior year, she had gotten expelled from school for retaliating against someone who picked on her gay brother; I had also gotten expelled for essentially retaliating against those responsible for it all. And there we were—two notoriously impulsive, irresponsible kids in an unhealthy relationship about to have a kid. We were the definition of "not ready for that responsibility" for various reasons that I won't get into here. Had we stayed together (seriously, the relationship was toxic as fuck) and if we had had a child together, it would've been a nightmare for all those involved, including the baby.
Ordinary People is an infinitely bleak portrait of two stupid, rebellious street kids in a toxic relationship who have a baby together. To me, it works as a persuasive advertisement for why teens shouldn't have children. They virtually always lack the emotional tools and material resources necessary to provide the care a baby deserves. Kids can't raise kids, even less so when destitute and living on the streets.
The film's dire world is fleshed out with opportunistic media types, ain't-shit-cops who personify the term ACAB, and predatory bamboozlers donning the mask of altruistic do-gooders who all exploit the vulnerable for self-interest.
I mainly appreciate the ethos that imbues this dire world, as it mirrors the cruelty and indifference that's part and parcel of daily life. Whether one chooses to acknowledge it or not, and irrespective of your level of exposure to these harsh realities, Ordinary People is, at least in part, a reflection of struggles routinely greeted with contempt, diminished in significance, invisibilized, and blended into the tapestry of everyday backgrounds. It forces the viewer to witness oppressive economic and class disparities rendered ordinary. (Whether or not you believe this film does a good job of exploring these issues is a separate discussion. At minimum, said issues are highlighted, even if only indirectly or understated.) The movie itself is solid, though it isn't quite remarkable, mainly due to its simplistic story simply not being incredibly compelling in addition to not really having characters you care that much for.
Perhaps the best thing about Ordinary People is the strong performances, which are both good and bad. It's "good" in the sense that the characters are believable, they feel lived in, and you can almost taste their desperation. It's "bad" insofar as how goddamn frustrating it was watching the two main characters repeatedly make mind-numbingly foolish decisions that cause you to internally groan and shout within yourself, "Of course a kid would do that dumb shit!" 🥴😖
Also, warning: contains a scene depicting transantagonistic violen.. 🤬
-roseeiie🌹









