As an LGBTQ member, I’ve watched a lot of LGBTQ-themed movies and TV series. Every film has its own unique handling and exploration. Most of them tackles the romance between same sex, its tolerance and acceptance of society. This kind of movies require critical directing and empathy to forethought.
Direk Adolf Alix Jr. is indeed genius in making gay-themed films. The 38-year old award-winning film maker gracefully captured the attention and intentions of critics and viewers with his films such as, “Daybreak” (2008) and “Muli” (2012). He already mastered the tricks and turns of this beautiful genre.
The movie directed us to taste every tidbits of life process- not just to LGBTQ community but society as a whole. Direk Adolf’s unique and pleasant treatment adds authenticity to its purpose and intentions. Unlike other films, “4 Days” is not sensual but revealing, sweet but matured, ordinary but deep.
Mikoy Morales owned Mark’s character from cover to its core. The Kapuso actor did an exceptional job in creating a gay man role outside the barricades of predictable gay acting. He is natural and well-defined actor. Mark’s character represents the longing but brave affection, he epitomized the virtue of young and dangerous kind of love.
On the other hand, Sebastian Castro who played Mark’s love interest compliments the frame with his adjacent acting essential to its terms. The angst-to-quiet shift of his character deliberately exudes the films’s requirements and awning. The 27-year old actor smoothly subjugate himself into Derek’s skin and smell and showed the density and complexity of his every scenes.
The movie “4 Days” is not a love story. It is about acceptance and embracing oneself before entering something that would demand unabridged version of us. The story itself is generic but the story telling is extraordinary. Mark and Derek perfectly represents the facet of lost minds and longing hearts. The amount of emotion sufficed the demand of every scene.
It is not saturated and that made it smooth to chew the gay love story formula.
