Once this film starts you think you know the direction it’s going but by the end, you are left stunned and speechless.
Director Rehki delivers a dark and often bleak look at how far a mother is willing to go to protect her family. Maria (Alessandra de Rossi) is a mother of three and a former drug addict along with her husband Arturo, who’s a former user and pusher. Former or not doesn’t matter though because once the Philippines government marks you down as a user they are the judge, jury, and executioner with your life. Once Arturo is gunned down in the street under mysterious circumstances, Maria goes undercover as a “detective” for a corrupt police officer (Jake Macapagal) to seek justice for her husband’s murder while protecting her kids.
The performances are raw and honest. Alessandra de Rossi and she carries the film. We as the audience are on this journey with her and she does a good job of allowing us to be apart of it. Arthur Acuña plays the man Maria has to work with and he provides a calm yet intimidating character. A performance I hope doesn’t go unnoticed is by the actor who plays the character Joel, the nephew of Arturo and Maria. His name isn’t listed on the cast but as someone who’s a fan of quality child acting, this kid delivered.
Watch List speaks to the loss of innocence and the dire circumstances one is willing to go to in order to protect their loved ones. After Arturo is killed the oldest son looks at his mom and tells her he will get a job. There isn’t any real-time for grieving because he knows the conditions his family is living in. Through the younger characters, we see how fast they are forced to grow up in this world. The film culminates in a tragic and heartbreaking way.
Watch List, from Dark Star Pictures and Uncork’d Entertainment, arrives in virtual theaters August 21st, 2020, and On-Demand release September 1st.
Watch List is directed by Ben Rekhi and stars Arthur Acuña, Alessandra de Rossi, and Jake Macapagal.
Check-out the official trailer:
Loading…