Review of Eduardo Roy Jr.'s Quick Change: Perilous Beauty of the Transgender

The very threshold of contemporary Independent Films takes pride from Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, a story of a youthful love of a gay to another older man.  Last year Cinemalaya 2012 created a canon out of Bwakaw, a story of an old man inside the closet and the alienation of not coming out. Cinemalaya, unshaken by the norms and conventions set by society, serves as an open avenue for the propagation of gay art or gay centered art. By this, some would even mistake independent films as gay oriented movies. Currently, a gay movement within the borderless confines of Cinemalaya has not been lost nor eradicated. It underwent a very Kafkaesque metamorphosis from the darkness of a closet, perks of coming out to the rudiments of their challenged existence. Now, Eduardo Roy Jr. establishes a new identity and a new perspective to patrons of film. Something that transcends our notion of gay – their struggle against the aesthetics set by Divine providence. This is Quick Change. It shatters the gay film stereotype.

                Our conformity with our world of technology is manifested by our lust for immediate response. The title of this film dignifies the patronage of transgenders to renewal of their physical attributes defying their origin and future (from being a man and to be old). Quick in today’s context would mean two things abrupt and affordable. Ergo, they fall in line to Dorina’s offer. Painfully accepting their bereft from origin and their future. This is the assumed bedrock of their existence. Whether it is money or anything that deters them they will do everything to conquer this queer desire. What we are now describes our absurdity, our non conformity with the nature and our volition over the Divine. This is the great alteration of man the setting of a mortality of the dictates of heaven – no longer do we consider old fashioned obedience.

                                Quick Change bequeaths gay community as a microcosm of the society that bend on unlimited and illogical consumption. The dilemma is actually caused by machinations of ruling forces that create an illusory answer to their impossible endeavor. Science has not yet confirmed a full validity of sex implantations or any such neo eugenics. They lure consumers to fill a bucket infested by holes. It is therefore the modern depiction of the capitalist treachery towards a lost market. That despite a prohibition the ‘pagpapaturok’ continues.

                                Popular culture of the ruling class hypnotizes the people to prioritize beauty over their very own safety. In the fear of being out dated and ostracized the follow to an enforced tide. Much like of the workers who settle on dangerous workplaces for filial sustenance. The film opens our senses to a vast reality that gravely needs action- a visible force.

                In the movie are scenes of the Virgin Mary, religious processions, and other Church related activities. Director Roy, vividly pictures our society that appears to be religious but is amoral. The fraud, unwanted relationships, and greed are too much to be concealed by mere prayers without a reconstructive repentance. No matter how many rosary bead you are in contact with, it all ends with how one destroys and creates life. You cannot sugarcoat the dark shadow in us.

                A prototype family of Dorina, his boyfriend, and Hero build a deconstruction of the holy family. Dorina, though not a Virgin, assumes the responsibilities of parenthood of another. She rears a child she never begot. She visits many Elizabeths in different spots with a syringe. One thing would not be sure, if she would be hailed as saint. His boyfriend takes them not by a donkey but by a motorcycle. He unfaithfully executes being a father. Hero in parallel with Jesus builds a different angle, an angle of innocence that their family fails to reach.

                If this would be Phillippine Cinema, then we have a better future ahead.