Minor Characters in Namets

A Negrense film directed by Jay Abello and written by Vince Groyon.

The opening scene shows a vignette of how through the brawling of the cavemen, they discovered fire and how they accidentally learned the earliest way of cooking the food. The cavemen serve as the foregrounding elements that the film will be talking about food. This can also be viewed as the folklore about the culture of Negros, especially about the Negrense cuisine.

In all the minor characters, Boss Dolpo is one of the most unforgettable characters because of his shortest lines and his mumblings throughout the film. The most memorable line that he said was only “Namets!”, while Cassie refused the business offer they gave her at the swimming pool. Peque Gellaga did play very well on this role, because even through his facial expressions, body language and his constant eating, the audience can depict his character and its development as the story progress. The way he grumbles, or burps or even the way he splashes his feet on the water, the audience can view his reactions toward the situation. Perhaps, he does not think much, but he just depends on the decision of the people around him and his own personal interests (food and money). An example of that is the fact that he is not really into managing restaurants yet he accepted Jacko’s offer to him because he likes food and that might only be the way for Jacko to pay his debts. He even gave a budget for the restaurant’s renovation. Then, at the near end of the film, he just accepted to trade the restaurant for candidacy, when in fact his character never seems to be inclined in politics. Thus, he was more likely influenced by the decisions of his advisers. His mind is child-like which is contrast to his appearance is also another element that makes his character amusing. 

Another comical character is Oscar portrayed by Dwight Gaston, is Boss Dolpo’s ‘spokesperson’. His humorous acting and combining it with his perfect timing in delivering his lines are the reasons why he can be considered as a lovable ‘villain’. The audience can also see the he is ever faithful to Dolpo, to think he can easily scheme to betray his child-like boss. But perhaps, his illogical fidelity to him blends well in the overall lightness and wittiness of the film. To sum up the characters of these two seemingly villains, is to point out how they deviated from the stereotypical villains that are usually present in stories. They are ought to act to be the typical antagonists in the story which are evident in trivial parts, like taking away the restaurant of Jacko and ignoring Jacko’s suggestions and pleas. But the quite deviating part is, in this film, they are even the ones who brought the two main characters/lovers together. Also, they do not even plot any act against the main characters, they just acted upon their own personal inclinations. Hence, making the film, although it is a romance-comedy flick, not entirely full of clichés or stereotypes.

Other minor characters showed in the vignettes of the film, became symbols of how food does not only satiate our hunger but its other connections to people’s lives. It shows other uses of food which at some point is quite strange, like a siopao as a love potion.The most notable of the snippets, is the child who is too attached with his pets and his father played by another remarkable actor, Ronnie Lazaro. Both of these characters acted impressively, even the little boy. Their acting was dramatic and so as the scene because the father needs to cook in order for their family, especially his sick daughter, to eat. But the ironic part is, the audience finds the scene hilarious. Conceivably, it is because of the flow and the wittiness of how it was directed and written. Another vignette shows the characters of a baker who knead the dough by squeezing it in between his hairy and sweaty armpits to create siopaos as aphrodisiacs for the horny wife of the security guard. The acting of the siopao maker is hilarious but well-portrayed although it was just a cameo role. Other characters in other scenes such as the café manager who discovered why his Bacolod branch consumes the most sugar than other branches in the Philippines, the dialysis patents who is dying to eat his favorite Napleones in the hospital and the father who teaches his kids the proper and systematic way of eating Chicken Inasal, do not only add up on the humor of the film but also shows the culture and delicacies of Negros. Hence, crafting the film not only to be caricatured as romance comedy film, but also catering to introduction of the uniqueness and richness Negrense cuisine and culture to a wider audience.

However, apart from this wittiness, the film also shows mundane minor characters such as the father of Cassie who always supports her daughter in all her endeavors, the mother and auntie of Jacko who serve as his guidance and advisers of and the relatives of Jacko who always doubt Jacko’s capabilities due to his fickleness and immaturity. All of them conform on the typical yet believable characters that often show in almost all films. Nevertheless, their uses might function as balance the lightness of the film, because if these characters will also be complex then the flow of the film might be affected and it will not end up the way the movie ended.

Enjoy watching the movie and prepare to be hungry!\
*Photo Credits: Click the pictures!