Tuhog

Nope. This is not one of your R-18 films. And no, we are not going back to he 90's where TF (Titillating Films) are a hit. Tuhog is a film about 3 lives connected by a single life-changing event. Sounds cliched? What does Tuhog has to offer that other Star Cinema films were not able to tackle in their previous films?
Tuhog tells the story of 3 individuals who are united by a common factor: They usually ride on the same bus. But aside from this usual occurrence comes a story that made them unique.

Tonio (Leo Martinez) just retired and he is not getting the hang of it. His life is empty and seemed to be moving backwards. He seeks for legacy in his dimming life and eventually found it during a discussion with old friends with the idea of putting up a bakery. This, however, was not warmly accepted by his family members. His struggle for legacy and acceptance continued until that fateful day he boarded the bus.

Fiesta (Eugene Domingo) is a proof that a name does not reflect the entire persona of an individual.She is a picture of a sad and angry woman who did not encounter love all her life. She was fierce and ruthless but a man changed everything and made a woman that should be loved and be treated as a lady. Conflicts arise and Fiesta is yet to learn life's difficult lesson in love: To understand.

Caloy (Enchong Dee) handles teenage woes of getting laid. There can be no other subtext to Caloy's plot that it can be summed up with 7 words.

What makes Tuhog special is the story that has happened before the crash. Tonio's character is very rich and accurate. Audiences with background on Normal Growth and Development will surely enjoy Tonio's story and its accurate portrayal. Eugene Domingo, on the other hand, portrayed Fiesta with passion with display of emotional fluctuations needed for her to portray a damaged woman healed by an unexpected man. While Martinez and Domingo excel in their own characters, Enchong struggled. It can also be blamed with an uninspired plot. Enchong's story arc might draw the crowd but it was Martinez's Tonio and Domingo's Fiesta contains the heart of the film.

The ending, however, left me with dissatisfaction but it was the middle of the ride that I enjoyed. Tuhog tried and somehow it succeeded but I needed more heart and an ending that needs more closure. But the most pressing concern is: Who deserves to live and to die?

GRADE: B

trailer