What makes writer/director Zig Dulay's Huling Halik (Lexuality Entertainment, 2011) work so well is the tiny details packed within each scene; the blocking of actors within a frame, a particular line of dialogue, a glance or a longing look. The characters in orbit of the affair know how damaging it is to them and others, but the allure of lust is too strong. Dulay knows this and uses that on the viewer. We know as well as the characters that they shouldn’t abide by JM's (Kenjie Garcia) every wish, but Dulay and his cast make us absolutely want them to. That duality is part of Ili's (Joeffrey Javier) arc. He is clearly a victim of JM's emotional onslaught yet, he can’t seem to break away from him. The intricacies of such delicate themes are in full view to dissect on their own accord. Garcia imbues JM's behavior naturally. He dominates any space he enters. You feel that JM is a young man who is in love with the idea of love and his slow descent into desperation for love is intoxicating to watch. But even the most enlightened of young people still have feelings that can get hurt, despite their intellectual rejection of traditional social mores. Dulay gives his actors the space to develop complex characters that make us feel their unhappiness and disillusion. The film captures the mood of relationships in transition without ever being condescending or judgmental. That’s why the sex scene is so pivotal to Huling Halik as a whole. You need to believe this attraction between them to make sense of everything that happens next. Brutal honesty melds with nuanced passion to create a staggering emotional intensity, culminating in a resolve that is nothing less than heartbreaking.
Bringing empathy to JM, Garcia gives one of the best performances of his career. He is visibly working through a never-ending stream of complicated emotions. He harbors a suppressed melancholy at every turn. Even a minor interaction is tinged with soul-bearing honesty, creating an emotional mystery of sorts whose answers always lie on the tip of the movie's tongue. JM dominates the frame and that’s because he’s the driving force here, the one whose attraction sets the stage for all that follows. Acting opposite him is Javier, whose own character’s journey is fascinating. Don’t mistake his quietness for weakness, as Ili seems to be the ultimate voice of reason in the film. Dulay applies personal vulnerability to the characters, the emotional motifs in Huling Halik are splashed with little complication. JM and Ili move and breathe like real people, allowing their lives to surpass the singularity of romance. Along the way, this romantic tale is wryly amusing, curious and very beautiful to look at, whether its the actors or Baguio itself. It's notable that, despite the character fueling the action, the film is not histrionic. What makes it come alive, ultimately, isn't the physical nudity, but rather the emotional nudity displayed by Garcia and Javier. Huling Halik tackles the themes of fidelity, love, sex and bisexuality while embracing the messiness of relationships. There's not a single scene that overstays its welcome or moves too slowly. It’s nearly impossible to capture the essence of Huling Halik into words, as it’s essentially defined by the many contradictions that make us human. It can be charming and passionate, but it’s also quiet, intimate and heartbreaking, often at the same time. We see its characters when they’re vulnerable, carefree, impulsive and horny, but they can also be cruel to one another when they let their ego take over. There’s a whole lot of emotion in this sexy, endearing, devastating film. Dulay and his incredible cast compellingly explore that idea in the sexiest and most thought-provoking manner possible. You’ll fall for the characters, but you’ll also fall for the slyly intelligent filmmaking too.
Cinematographers: Marc Patiag, Tristan Garcia, Zig Dulay
Production Designer: Kenneth Villanueva
Editor: Zig Dulay
Sound: Dennis Dimaandal
Music: Gary Granada
Writer & Director: Zig Dulay
