AFTER VICE GANDA, Chad Kinis, Lassy and MC Muah of the Beks Battalion are the next gay comedians to be given a big break by Viva.
After casting them in supporting roles on TV and in movies, and giving them online and live concerts, they now star in their own movie, “Beks Days of Our Lives”, with Chad himself directing it.
Gay humor is nothing new in local showbiz. But before, the hit gay movies are made by a very straight comedian, the late Dolphy.
Another straight actor who excels in playing gay roles is Michael de Mesa in “It’s a Deal”. Gay comedians usually just play supporting roles, like Manny Castaneda and Ogie Diaz.
It’s really Vice Ganda who is the first out gay comedian who hit it big in films like “Petrang Kabayo” and “Praybeyt Benjamin”.
Like Vice Ganda, the Beks Battalion started as stand up comedians in comedy bars and were later given a break on mainstream showbiz. They’re no longer marginalized.
In “Beks Days of Our Lives”, Chad, Lassy and MC underline the importance of having good friends in anyone’s life.
Chad as Richard is a sales agent for a pre-need life plan. Lassy as Reggie sales beauty products that no one buys since his would be customers he himself is a bad example for his products. MC as Melvin is a tour guide in Camsur Water Sports.
They have their own share of misunderstanding but things are eventually ironed because their friendship is more important.
Their peaceful, happy lives get ruffled when Lassy is diagnosed to have leukemia.
They then agree to take a leave from their respective jobs to have a vacation together in Camsur and create more beautiful memories together in the best days of their lives.
They get to tour Camsur together where they meet a “manghuhula” who make predictions for all of them, the most notable of which is when MC is told that he has met “ang lalaking mag-aakyat sa’yo sa langit”.
In a number of instances, he meets a shirtless guy who seems to be deliberately seducing him.
This is very significant as the guy will be instrumental in making MC reunite with his two friends in the end, after they get separated from each other.
The movie turns dramatic toward the end when Lassy suddenly collapses while dancing and MC blames Chad for neglecting their friend.
But before they can get to show more histrionics, there is a surprise twist in the narrative that will surely shock audiences.
At first, we’re wondering why they suddenly turn so serious in introducing the subject of one’s loved one dying in a comedy that is supposed to be just an entertaining romp.
But then, with a final scene shot in the afterlife, we realize it’s really their way of showing not to take things too seriously.
After all is said and done, they’ve really spent the best days of their lives together and they’ve accepted each other for what they are, warts and all.
The comic gags and jokes used in the movie are a hit or miss thing, but most of the time, they do get to hit it right.
With the go-for-broke performances of the three main stars, they do deliver their fair share of laughs.
The funniest scene for us is when MC visits his old father, They have lost touch because his dad cannot accept that his son, who’s supposed to carry their family’s name, is gay.
MC’s looks resemble that of another gay comedian, John “Sweet” Lapus, and when Lassy points this out to him, he vehemently, violently denies that he looks like John Lapus.
In the next scene, we are introduced to his estranged father and guess who plays his dad.
This is one of the most hilarious sequences in the movie, specially when they showed a flashback scene with his dad throwing MC out of their home and then it turns out that it’s the dad who gets to exit their house first.
Viva used to do a lot of those male-oriented naughty comedies starring the likes of Janno Gibbs, Andrew E and Dennis Padilla. Now, they come up with gay-oriented flicks and we hope they find the right market for this kind of entertainment fare.
