Movie Spotlight: Citizen Jake

Citizen Jake (2018)

Rated R-13: Strictly for Thirteen Years of Age and Above

Genre/s: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Running Time: 137 minutes (2 hours and 17 minutes)

To Be Released on May 23, 2018 (PH Release Date; Limited Release Only)

Presented by Cinema Artists Philippines, through Solar Pictures

Writers: Mike De Leon, Atom Araullo, and Noel Pascual

Director: Mike De Leon

  
Starring:

• Atom Araullo as Jake Herrera
• Teroy Guzman as Jacobo Herrera, Sr.
• Gabby Eigenmann as Roxie Herrera
• Max Collins as Mandy

After a series of movie reviews and story pitches, we have returned with yet another spotlight just for you.

Is truth stranger than fiction? This film, starring real-life journalist Atom Araullo of ABS-CBN, offers to answer that question, in this political crime thriller. In a world filled with fictional superheroes inspiring countless lives, take the time to witness a story that is also fictional, but instead of focusing on heroes with unique abilities or access to state-of-the-art devices, here is a film that explores the life of an everyman. This particular movie aims to provide a distinct movie viewing experience, which you might say is in the vein of a somewhat similarly titled film, Citizen Kane. Welcome back to Dateline Movies, and this is Citizen Jake.

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What is the movie about?

Journalist Jake Herrera, played by Araullo in his film debut, aims to step out of the corrupt shadow of his heritage, especially his estranged senator father Jacobo Herrera, Sr., played by Guzman (Seklusyon). His older brother, Roxie Herrera, played by Eigenmann (Asintado), on the other hand, is a congressman.

In a bid to start again as a blogger and college teacher in Baguio City, even going as far as to start a relationship with English teacher Mandy, played by Collins (Bamboo Flowers), Jake unfortunately finds himself drawn back to the place he thought he would never be back. A female student of his is brutally slain, and Jake embarks on a dangerous journey of murder and conspiracy that his family might be involved in.

The story is not the only reason why you ought to check this flick out. An entire ensemble of talented individuals, including Cherie Gil, Dina Bonnevie, Adrian Alandy, Nonie Buencamino, Lou Veloso, Richard Quan, Allan Paule, Anna Luna, Victor Neri, Raquel Villavicencio, Nanding Josef, Ruby Ruiz, Elora Españo, and Cholo Barretto are all involved. With this amount of experienced, and up-and-coming actors and actresses, you know that this movie could really be something huge!

“My film may be fiction, but it is based on truths we ignore at our own risk. It should be seen by its audience in its original version, without cuts and without compromise. The film is not perfect, far from it, but it is a good honest film that is seeking an audience that I am convinced is out there. May you allow me to ask for your support?”, co-writer and director Mike De Leon, after an eighteen year hiatus, implored the moviegoers of the nation to view his second work to be distributed by Solar Pictures, with the most recent being Bayaning Third World.

Also, just a little trivia before officially concluding. The poster for this film was almost not going to be the final product. Long story short, it all happened because of a little "beautiful mess" giant splatter, a result of artist Tom Estera taking a quick break.

Be sure to check-out Citizen Jake, which will be released to a wider audience on May 23, 2018. Seriously, do see it, since from what I am reading from the initial reviews, it is really good. For more updates on the movie, be sure to check-out their Facebook page by clicking here. Feel free to tune-in to Solar Pictures for interesting developments through Twitter and Instagram by clicking here, and here, respectively. Stay tuned for more Dateline Movies!