Despite the obvious budget constraints, this dramedy starring Pokwang manages to win the hearts of it's audiences. An official entry to the ToFarm Film Festival 2018, Roman Perez Jr.'s "Sol Searching" stars Pokwang as Bb. Lorelei Baloloy, Joey Marquez as Djanggo Bustamante and Gilleth Sandico as the titular character, Sol. It also features JM Salvado as Bugoy, Raffy Tejada, Raul Morit, LotLot Bustamante, Mayen Esther, Kenken Nuyad and Troy Aquino with the special participation of Paolo Rodriguez, Francis Magundayao, Lee O'Brian, Sue Prado, Jelson Bay, Skyxz Labastilla & Chokoleit.
The dark dramedy follows Lorelei as she tries to give her co-teacher/ best friend Sol a proper wake and burial, while remembering the life of Sol: her struggles, pains, and sacrifices when she was alive.
Now on its third year, it was my first time to catch TOFarm (which stands for The Outstanding Farmer). The annual film festival will run in select cinemas from September 12-19, 2018.
The film's story is actually bigger than what it seems during it's first half which shows the efforts of Lorelei as she tries to find a decent place for her friend's wake. But after that, we get to discover so many things about Sol's character, changing our initial impression of her. The best aspect about this film is it's rich narrative, though it may come a bit muddled at times due to too many overlapping subplots. Still, it was able to tell the truth, Sol's truth, and managed to stir our hearts with it's revelation.
The best performances comes from Gilleth Sandico, JM Salvado and Pokwang. All three of them were consistent in providing the laughs and sometimes, manages to touch our hearts at times. And just like what Pokwang, she accepted this project not because of the money but because of her desire to hone her craft as an actress. She was able to showcase her acting chops and proved her talent as a dramatic actress.
JM Salvado's raw and honest portrayal of a student who looks up to the woman who acted as his teacher and mother was really touching. And of course, Gilleth Sandico whom we usually see in movies and teleseryes as a side character is finally given her moment of spotlight as Sol. Her performance in the film was redoubtably her best work yet as she brings her character to life with devotedness and verisimilitude.
Despite some clunky parts and uneven pacing (and the ending feeling rushed), the film was very funny and entertaining. Admittedly, there were some gags that were hit or miss. Despite that, the film does have some truly hilarious moments, thanks to the amazing performances of the cast.
"Sol Searching" is definitely worth your time and buck. It's a small film loaded with big laughs and a big heart.
Rating: 9/ 10
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