MMFF 2020: Vice Ganda injects real life into film Partners in Crime

MANILA, Philippines — For Vice Ganda, the story of his Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2022 entry, Partners in Crime, hits so close to home with certain scenes in the film a “reenactment” of what happened in his real life.

The action-adventure comedy directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina and produced by Star Cinema is about an ex-couple who will cross paths again before getting both caught up in a crime. Partnering with Vice in the film is Ivana Alawi.

According to the comedian and TV host, the bigger message of the film is about how the most important relationships are being neglected or sacrificed due to a nonstop drive and desire to achieve in life.

“You’ve fulfilled so many dreams, you’ve accomplished so many things, you’ve done many things for other people… but the most important people in your life, you have set aside,” Vice said during an intimate press interview about his big-screen comeback since the 2019 MMFF movie The Mall, The Merrier.

“Nasa gilid, nasa likod, nasa malayo (sila), pati yung mga importanteng araw, naipagpapalit mo dahil hindi mo alam kung alin ba talaga ang mahalaga.”

“The film is about one’s struggle to figure out what is really of value in life. This story talks about one’s challenges to realize when to make a pause, when to stop,” he further said.

This storyline felt true-to-life for Vice. It particularly reminded the host of his own relationship with his family.

The pandemic has never slowed the comedian down as he continued to juggle multiple projects and work commitments, such as his daily noontime variety program It’s Showtime, YouTube channel (he is the platform’s No. 5 Filipino content creator next to co-star Ivana), a concert series abroad and now, back to movies again. A lot of times, he couldn’t help but feel he’s always running after and out of time for his loved ones.

One time, his mother video-called Vice. “Every Saturday and Wednesday, nagbi-bingo sila sa bahay. Sa amin lang ito magkakapatid, mga pamangkin, iilang kaibigan. And yung nanay ko tumawag, ‘Anak, ‘di ka ba sasama? May session,’” Vice recalled his mom asking him to come visit her.

But he begged off due to his busy schedule and offered to send her money instead, only to be told she didn’t need the money, she just wanted him around. “Sabi ko, padalhan nalang kita ng pera. Sinabi niya, may pera naman ako, punta ka dito and magluluto ako,” Vice shared.

“Sabi ko, ‘Hindi ko keri ‘Nay.’ Tapos naiyak ako.”

Vice got emotional over the realization that this was what his film was all about. “Nahiya ako talaga kasi yan ang kwento ng pelikula ko ngayon. Naisip ko sinadya ba to ng Star Cinema na ito talaga ang kwento?”

“ I felt like they did it on purpose,” Vice said. “Minsan nga pag-binabasa ko (script), ano ‘to? Direk Cathy would tell me, this is our story.‘Di naman ako ganyan but ganyan ka,’ ‘Ikaw din, ganyan ka,’ nag-gaganunan kami dalawa.”

The story truly resonated with Vice that there were instances where he would ask for Cathy’s permission to “inject real life” into his approach to scenes or sequences, including the last scene which “really happened to me.”

He remembered having to do a second take because he got very carried away that he couldn’t stop his tears from flowing. He was reliving past experiences, especially when he had to deliver the line he was sorry for failing to come home.

“Direk said, it became too sad and she wanted a happy ending. But I just kept on crying while repeatedly saying,‘Sorry, hindi ako nakauwi (I wasn’t able to come home).’ Paulit-ulit ko sinabi (to the point) na hindi na nila ako mapigil kasi humagulgol na ako. Nung (ni-review), umiiyak sila lahat,” Vice recalled.

The film may have its share of dramatic moments but lest we forget, this is a Vice Ganda film and expect a riot of laughter. And don’t expect Vice to explore or even entertain a full-on drama project.

“I don’t think it’s my brand, I wanna stick to my brand,” Vice explained. “If ever, I will just inject a little drama but nothing full-length. Parang people want to see me funny. People want me to make them laugh, I think that’s my purpose to the audience. (They might say) kung gusto lang naman namin umiyak eh ‘di si John Lloyd (Cruz) nalang ang aabangan namin. Bakit si Vice ang panonoorin namin kung gusto namin umiyak, di ba? We will watch Vice because we want to laugh.

Marami na nagiging cause of happiness nila ‘pag nakikita nila ako, parang nakakita ng cartoon character, tumatawa nalang sila. And I want that — gusto ko yun ang mag-stay sa isip nila na, ‘Nakakatuwa si Vice at pinapatawa niya ako.’”

It was also Vice’s first time to team up with Ivana in Partners in Crime. One journo, nevertheless, pointed out during the roundtable that Vice has long proven he can carry a film on his own.

“However great you are, however big your name is, everybody needs some help, especially sa panahon na ‘to, everybody needs some help from someone,” Vice said.

Help particularly came in handy during the first shooting days when he felt rusty and his comedic timing was off. “Si direk nga sabi, ‘Meme (Vice’s nickname), nasaan?’ ‘Wait lang, give me some time.’”

“Of course, ang dami ng pagpipilian ang tao (people have more choices now) not only when it comes to films, but even in music. And you have collabs between stars, artists… They collaborate to make something bigger, to offer something new to the audience, to serve a new dish, so to speak. And I acknowledge that. Baka makadagdag sa sarap if may ibang kasama,” Vice said of his onscreen tandem with the social media star.

Meanwhile, Vice appeared not pressured that Partners in Crime is expected to perform well at the box-office, taking into account his track record at the MMFF. His filmfest entries since his 2011 Praybeyt Benjamin have been some of the highest-grossing to date.

Asked what is it about the Partners in Crime script that made him decide to return to the movies, he said, “Gusto ko na mag-movie, not necessarily MMFF. I felt I needed to make another film already. Of course, aware ako sa mga nangyayari… Because aside from being an artist, I also act as the manager of myself.

“Hindi ako pwede na ‘di napapanood ng matagal, ‘di ba? Siempre makaka-affect sa relevance mo yan eh. Kailangan meron kahit ano ang mangyayari. (Whether) pandemic, mawalan ng franchise, kahit anong malalaking bagay, mabibigat na pangyayari, you have to find a way to keep yourself afloat. ‘Di ba kasi patatagan nga ito? Kung babagal-bagal ka, maiiwan ka talaga. So, kelangan mag-movie na. Tapos, pinakiusapan na rin ako na you need to do a movie to help the industry.”

Vice said that he was also missing the joy of physically interacting with movie fans through surprise and random cinema visits and secretly observing audiences’ reactions, to motorcades and even his “Cannes Film Festival” moment at Mall of Asia (MOA) every Dec. 25.

“Yung kakaway ako sa MOA… Gustong-gusto ko yun, yung parang may alon ng tao hinaharang nila. That’s my Cannes film festival moment, every Dec. 25 at MOA. ‘Di ba may hangdanan dun tapos may sea of people dun. Gustong-gusto ko yung aakyat ako dun tapos pagtalikod ko, kakaway ako. I miss that so much,” he laughingly recalled.

“I want to feel the love of the madlang people. Sobrang high na high ako sa ganun. Tapos, kahit inaawat na ako ng security, aakap ako sa kanila, palaway, payakap, pabatok, deds ako sa ganun (I don’t care). I enjoy it… Those are the moments when I really embrace it.”