Inspired casting choices enhance screen portrayals

Angelica Panganiban

Aside from its main plus points, “The Unmarried Wife” can be cited for its inspired casting choices, which occasionally enhance and uplift tepid or predictable characters into “just right” characters.

The key decision to cast Angelica Panganiban in the film’s title role is a felicitous case in point.

These days, Angelica is so popular as a ditzy, unpredictable comedienne, and yet director Maryo J. delos Reyes entrusts the film’s “convolutedly” dramatic protagonist role to her.

Unlike others who have chosen to forget, we recall that Angelica made her thespic mark many years ago in the title role of another similarly challenging film, “Santa Santita” by Laurice Guillen.

She was much younger then, but she did full justice to her difficult role, a decidedly “unsainted” teen—who inexplicably became a spiritual healer!

Quite a feat for such a young actress, an achievement that made her the teen thespian to beat among her sweeter, shallower contemporaries.

Later, however, Angelica went the rom-com route, so her key edge over the competition was eroded away. So, we thank “The Unmarried Wife” for reminding us of her unique advantage, many years after the fact.

But, we should note that Angelica’s exceptional performance was occasionally compromised by some thespic tics and distractions that she should eliminate as soon as she can.

Most distracting of all is the “smirky” way that she now habitually moves her mouth—it’s become a nervous tic that makes her come off as a self-conscious performer—a big no-no for actors.

Other instances of inspired casting in “TUW” include male lead Dingdong Dantes’ portrayal of the faithless husband, a far cry from his idealized and roseately romantic roles of old.

It was impressive to see him playing it weak-willed and vacillating, for a change. Sadly, however, he wasn’t given enough room and time to really “go for the brutal jugular” in terms of deep-down character change and self-betrayal. Hopefully next time?

Maricar Reyes

For her part, “mistress” Maricar Reyes impresses because she refuses to play it big and broad, and instead goes for smaller but more telling and cutting stilleto-jabs in her word wars with Angelica’s aggrieved wifey.

Denise Laurel also comes on vividly strong as Paulo’s unhinged ex, but she’s introduced too late in the storytelling, so she ends up as more of an also-ran.

Well, at least she does better than Paulo, who is also made to make his entrance too late, so his “chapter” in the story feels inorganic and added on for last-minute “stalker” complications and thrills.

Irma Adlawan’s “blowzy” portrayal of Angelica’s errant mom is harder to appreciate and evaluate. It does make thespic sense, but her often loud, tipsy and over-the-top “attack” feels too lush—although we do appreciate her stated thematic points about women’s tougher lot in life, as far as public perception of their marital and extramarital actuations are concerned.

A pleasant surprise is Marina Benipayo’s portrayal of Dingdong’s mother. Her past screen performances have tended to be decorative or vapid, but she evinces true grit and focus here.

Martin Escudero and Justin Cuyugan should also be cited for doing a lot with the “cameo” roles they’re given. And we liked the “hyper” energy and thespic heft of the character actress who played Angelica’s uber-demanding boss.

Just goes to show: There are no small roles when actors know how best to “invest” in them!