Jologs is a 2002 Filipino teen comedy-drama film directed by Gilbert Perez from a screenplay written by Ned Trespeces. With the film's title being a Filipino pejorative that is used to describe a tawdry person who belongs to the lower class, the film features an ensemble cast: Diether Ocampo, Patrick Garcia, Vhong Navarro, Assunta de Rossi, John Prats, Jodi Sta. Maria, Baron Geisler, Dominic Ochoa, Onemig Bondoc, Julia Clarete, and Michelle Bayle, and cameo appearances from well-known stars and personalities.
Produced and distributed by Star Cinema, the film was released theatrically on August 28, 2002.
Contents
Plot
The first character shown is Ruben. A college student, his job at Barako Café, owned by Trigger, is not nearly enough to pay his tuition. Having lost his scholarship on a technicality, Ruben resorts to burglary at his father's house to cover his educational expenses. What ensues is a comedic, overly choreographed fight scene complete with wirework and overdone martial arts action.
Shona (Michelle Bayle) leaves her daughter and her boyfriend, Mando, to return to work in Japan as an exotic dancer. Her predicament exemplifies the situation of every Filipino person who has come to the realization that life in the Philippines often does not allow the working person to earn enough money to save for a better living.
Cher is a drag queen who, because of her sexuality, becomes the victim of violent homophobic aggression. His performance, while exaggeratedly comic, touches on the ugliness of homophobia and sexual discrimination. And yet the issue is never resolved, because Cher’s attackers are not punished for their hate crime. Neither is Shona condemned for abandoning her child in this instance of labor export from the Philippines, and the effects that it has on the people who must be left behind. Ruben’s moral and practical dilemma remains unresolved as well.
The lives of three couples: Iza and Iñigo, Kulas and Joan, and Dino and Faith deal with objectification, unrequited love, and first sexual experiences, respectively.
Cast
Main roles
Diether Ocampo as Mando
Patrick Garcia as Dino
Vhong Navarro as Kulas
Onemig Bondoc as Trigger
Dominic Ochoa as Iñigo
John Prats as Ruben
Jodi Sta. Maria as Faith
Julia Clarete as Joan
Baron Geisler as Cher
Michelle Bayle as Shona
Assunta De Rossi as Iza
Supporting roles
Matt Ranillo III as Mr. Morales
Jean Saburit as Mrs. Morales
Maribeth Bichara as Mrs. Chavez
Bentong as Juanito
Nikki Valdez as Iza's friend
Denise Joaquin as Iza's friend
Sean Ignacio as Bryan
Farrah Florer as Violeta
Perla Bautista as Ruben's grandmother
Cameos
Kris Aquino as herself
Robert Joshua Danao as the Taekwondo master
Bobet Vidanes as the Game KNB? contestant
Judy Ann Santos as a customer of Barako Cafe
Piolo Pascual as a customer of Barako Cafe
Camille Prats as pedestrian
Heart Evangelista as a pedestrian
Angelica Panganiban as the girl carrying Dino's birthday cake
Leandro Muñoz as the airport official
Gabe Mercado as the Pastor
Carlo Muñoz as the taxi driver
Christian Vasquez as Joan's boyfriend
Regine Tolentino as the restaurant waitress
Justin Cuyugan as a bus conductor
Bearwin Meily as the village guard
Hyubs Azarcon as the village guard
Andrea Del Rosario as the student assistant
Minnie Aguilar as the guidance counselor
Carlo Aquino as Dino's birthday guest
Janus del Prado as birthday guest
Nicole Anderson as birthday guest
Production
Development
The script for the film was selected for the top prize at the first annual Star Cinema Scriptwriting Contest.
Post-Production
The majority of the visual effects were handled by Roadrunner Network, Inc. The titles were handled by Cinemagic. The films were printed by LVN Pictures.
Soundtrack
The original film score was composed and conducted by Jesse Lucas.
Jologs: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the official soundtrack album of the film published by Star Records. The soundtrack features songs from well-known Filipino artists, including Roselle Nava, Gloc-9, and Piolo Pascual. The theme song entitled "Next In Line" was originally sung by Wency Cornejo of the band AfterImage. It was re-recorded specifically for the film by the band Stagecrew. Another track from the film is the song "Jologs," performed by the rapper Gloc-9.
Release
Home media
The Region-3 DVD of the film was released on January 17, 2006, by Star Home Video.
Recognitions
Nominated Best Actor for Vhong Navarro
Nominated Best Editing for Vito Cajili
Nominated Best Music for Jesse Lucas
Nominated Best Screenplay for Ned Trespeces