Last night Kim got me to watch “The Debut.” In case you are not familiar with this movie, “The Debut” is considered by many to be the first motion picture made in the US to capture the Filipino-American experience. The movie stars Dante Basco (white folks will recognize him as Rufio from Hook ) as a culturally repressed Filipino-American teenager, named Ben Mercado, who suddenly comes to a cultural awakening at his sister’s debutant ceremony. Dante’s performance as Ben is a little distracting, even to a white guy like me. Ben seems to be in a state of complete bewilderment, as if he has never been around his family and was raised by wolves or something. I have been dating a Filipino girl for about a year and I have been to more barcada parties than I can count and never have I been as shocked and amazed at her family’s traditions and collective idiosyncracies as Basco seems to be in this film. Ben is so fascinated by his sister’s debut ceremony it seems as if this was the first time he’s ever seen one. It is extremely unlikely that this would be his first time attending a debut, as he would have been to the ceremonies of the other women in his family. Furthermore, how could Ben Mercado have made it to 18 years of age without learning how to dance with his Aunties? Why is he so surprised to learn that his dad sings? Kim has like 15 uncles who take their Magic Mic Karaoke machines with them everywhere they go.
The scene I expected to see in this movie never came. It would have gone something like this: Ben would be sitting at the table during the reception and then lean over to one of his retarded white friends and say…
“Woah! WOAH!! WOW!! What’s this white stuff!?!?”
“Yo dawg that’s, like, RICE. You know, for sheezy!!”
“Woah! Wow!! It’s so good!! I have, like, the coolest family ever!! I’m gonna go watercolor a portrait of a rice cooker!!
I am sure a major reason this movie was successful is the realism of the characters (most of them anyway). If you know even a few Filipinos, it is easy to watch this film and recognize characters that resemble the people that you know in real life. I am still pretty much on the outside of things in Kim’s family, but this film is very accurate compared to what I have experienced hanging out with her friends and family. For someone who is a part of this culture, I am sure it was a breath of fresh air to see this film on the big screen, especially after years of seeing so many similar films concerning every other ethnic group in the United States.
I even saw myself in this film. Ben’s white friends (I forget their names, they are that forgettable) are completly enamored with the Filipino culture and seem better equipped at having fun with his family than he does. I identified with this, because I think Kim is sometimes exhausted by her own family and when we’re at a party with them I am always the one who wants to stay even when I know she’s ready to leave. Despite this single similarity, I was let down by the portrayal of white people in this movie. I know, I know, you don’t need to tell me, who cares about white folks, right? But, If you were from the Philippines, had never been to the States and this movie was the only exposure you had to American culture (doubtful, but possible) you’d think putis were the biggest idiots in the world. I’m not saying we’re not the biggest idiots; I’m just offended that this movie exaggerates that possibility.
Another example of the film’s accuracy is that it perfectly encapsulates the nonsensical “gangsta” subculture among Filipino Americans. In one scene a would-be hood and rival of Ben, named Gusto, is accusing Ben of being “a coconut” (you know, brown on the outside, white on the inside), throwing gang signs and posturing like Ice Cube (Rice Cube, perhaps?). The whole time I’m thinking “Dude, stop pretending your black.”
Before I met Kim, I knew more Filipinos like Gusto than any other character in this film. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think every Filipino kid that’s into hip-hop is carrying a piece or running drive-bys and I am not knocking Filipino B-Boys or DJs. I simply do not understand how Filipinos merged into hip-hop culture to such an extent that they view hip-hop and R&B as their music and rock as white music. It’s pretty strange to me and I don’t understand it. I’ve never understood it. Maybe Chad Hugo can explain it to me. Yeah, someone tell Chad to email me.
Anyway, despite it’s incosistencies, I find myself wanting to see this movie again so that I can maybe understand it a little better, but, truthfully, I’d rather hang out with Kim’s family and get my own story. Oh yeah, I almost forgot; after watching an included feature on the DVD and seeing, writer, John Castro’s adobo shirt that looks like the addias logo, I did a google search for it and found some other Pinoy-related pop-culture t-shirts. This really cracked me up:
Bomba Star Galactica. That’s hilarious.
please don’t ever stop writing reviews. your “voice” is so much more real and intresting than most fools that get paid to write these things. now i want to see the damned movie and i don’t even think it is available in savannah. there are no filipinos in the “antibellum south” that is so over-excused here. anyway. your review was off the hook for sheezy. thanks jigga man.
You may be able to find it, actually. It was a pretty successful movie by indie standards. As I am told– and this really puts things in perspective as far as how many Filipinos live in Hampton Roads– Virginia Beach was one of the first places it was screened before they decided to release it in the States. At any rate, there HAS to be a few Filipinos SOMEWHERE down there, and wherever they go to buy their lumpia wrappers and bagoong, thats probably where you can rent this movie.
I’m not kidding.
it’s available on netflix…
/me goes and puts it into his queue.
You’re review of The Debut is right on, dude. As a pinay, it was very refreshing to see people who look like me on the large screen…and not playing the role of a maid, gay hairdresser, kung fu master, or Native American Indian. The characters were pretty much accurate. Hmmm…let’s see who we can pick out:
1. strict father who brings his family to the US and expects them all to be doctors
2. mother who thinks everyone is too skinny and makes them eat even when they aren’t hungry
3. good-girl sister (AKA favorite child)
4. brother-man pinoy who preaches about the evil import tuner empire
5. gangsta-boo pinoy/pinay who “walks with a switch and talks with street slang” and is a citizen of import tuner evil empire…and cries like a bitch when his mama slaps him upside the head.
6. the auntie who married the puti (that’s most likely my future)
7. battle dancers
8. Lolo who means business and is disappointed by all of his sons/daughters who did NOT become doctors, dentists, or lawyers
last but not least…
9. F.O.B.
Overall, the movie is every accurate in it’s portrayal of Filipino-American life. They even got the “Filipino breakfast” down pat. There were only two things that really bothered me. The first was the wide-eyed ignorance of Dante Basco’s character. His jaw was dropping in every scene. I know, I know…it was his debut as well as his sisters. It was his own cultural awakening. But give me a fucking break.…there was no way in hell he had never seen tininkling before. Here in Virginia Beach tininkling is taught in elementary school gym class. Also, there is no fucking way that at the age of 18 he didn’t already know how to cha-cha. Filipino babies are born cha-chain out of their mother’s puki. I think had he just had an epiphany like, “Damn, I can’t believe I’ve been doing/seeing these things all my life and I took it for granted. I never appreciated what my culture and my family had to offer…” I would have liked it more. He’s acting like he had a fucking sex change and is now seeing the world for the first time as a woman.
Secondly, the portrayal of the white friends is ridiculous. It’s true, there are a lot of putis out there who are enamored with Filipino culture, but these guys were idiots. They were walking white caricatures.
“Dude, these girls are hot! Dude, this rice is awesome! Hell yeah, this is fly! Sweeet! Dude, can you score me a barrel man?”
It’s not really like that. At least not with the white folks I’ve met. Someone might tell me that the food is great or ask me what the see-through shirts are for…but to act like they’re on an alien ship is too much.
Maybe Justin and I will sit and watch it again…to joke all the gangsta boo’s, if anything. Don’t get me wrong, though, I do recommend this movie as an introduction to Filipino-American life. If you’ve never met a pinoy/pinay before you might not want to watch this…you might not want to meet one of us afterward. Joke lang!
I’m pretty sure you’ll find we’re pretty warm, fun, and friendly people…who love to cook/eat and sing karaoke like it’s our job.
I’m so proud of Justin and his attempts to learn about my culture. His interest in the history, food, and the language has allowed me to have my own “debut.” It’s allowed me to be proud and interested in my culture without all the bullshit of tsis-mis. It’s nice to know that someone is making an effort to know me and my family. I hope you’ll all be inspired to learn about other cultures that exist all around you.
*Justin, I think the use of tagalog words may confuse some…but trust me, “BOMBA STAR GALACTICA” is hilarious.
It’s like wearing a shirt that says “Porn Star Trek” but WAAAAAAAY funnier.
[…] In addition to hipping us all to feedburning and a wordpress plugin to make implementing technorati tags easier, Joe also turned me to the darkside by making me curious about google adsense. I thought it was kind of cheap to have advertising on a private website, but what the hell. It’s not intrusive, it posts ads based on my content and, dammit, I think it’s funny that my little blurb about ‘The Debut’ has made so you can link to cheap tickets to Manila through my site. […]
My name is Melissa and I have been married to an American for 19 years (met him while in colleg). I have a daughter who will be celebrating her 18th Birthday in August and will be the first in her generation to have a Debutant Ball.
Your comments are very interesting about the “white” group. My family and I often tease my husband and my brother-in-laws (all white) about them standing out. We all joke about it but, all in good fun.
My husband has been to the Philippines twice and had adapted to the ways of the Filipino traditions…sometimes, i wonder who is more Filipino…me or him.
As for the Debutant…lets just say that my kids have been raised with the Filipino way which my husband embraces. However, they still have their own directions. My main objective in raising my children was the values and morals that my parents have instilled in us. My brother, sisters and I were born and raised in the Philippines, I was 11 when I came here and the youngest was 5.
When I came to the US, we lived in the suburbs Chicago for quite sometime. There I saw filipino cliques of doctors and their families. I saw things that well, basically omitted the American race from their own. I remember the “barcada” my cousin hung around with…ALL FILIPINOS. As for me, I grew up in a neighborhood with all white guys. When it came time for gatherings, it was a sin to have me seen with a white guy…i was ousted because I was told that i was not allowed to be with them. MY REPLY…find me a good filipino guy, one who does not think he is better than anyone else..then fine. Somehow, all the Filipino guys I met and tried to go out with were all guys trying to outdo the American guys.
The Debut portrays the lack of knowledge of one’s own culture. Basically burried it and just never bothered to seek it out. We are influenced in some way and to adapt to another…well, sometimes that is a choice no one wants to make. YOu have lived all your life knowing one thing to be open to another well, it’s like seeing the world for the very first time. But there are some who are just plain ignorant.
I don’t know if there is a misunderstanding or not, but just to clarify, Kim and I are not criticizing the character or the message of the film– which you have explained quite well. We are complaining about Basco’s bad acting and exaggerated bewilderment. Growing up, the Filipino culture may not have been a priority or an interest to the Mercado character, but you’d think he was on alien spacecraft with the way Basco emotes in this movie.
Nevertheless, thank you for your comment and your personal perspective on the subject. Please come back every now and then, more Filipino related posts from the perspective of a big burly white man are imminent, it’s nice to have more than my regular cast of Filipinos in the mix.
“MY REPLY…find me a good filipino guy, one who does not think he is better than anyone else..then fine. Somehow, all the Filipino guys I met and tried to go out with were all guys trying to outdo the American guys.”
That’s exactly what I say to my parents when they ask me why I don’t like Filipino guys. I just haven’t met one worth my time or effort. To be perfectly honest, Justin has done a better job of respecting my culture and my parents than any other guy I’ve ever dated.
I’m not downplaying the significance of the Debut. In fact, I think it’s very relevant to my life and the life of my Filipino-American peers. I just think the dialogue could have been more clever…and the acting could have given more to the film. At times, it seemed like an hour and a half long showcase of stereotypes more than it was a story of cultural awakening. I’m definitely glad and proud that it was made, I just think the approach left something to be desired.
Let’s not bash all of the Filipino guys out there.. dayum. You’re gonna get me jacked up.
Not ALL Filipino guys are bad! My dad is really awesome.
Actually, not being familiar at all about your own customs is not much of a stretch at all. I’m a Filipino, and even I’m still not too sure about what’s happening half of the time. The fact that I live in the Philippines instead of the US makes it all the more sadder. We have been so westernized that in family gatherings or religious celebrations I still find myself asking my mother or my girlfriend “What? Do we really do that?”
Also, In my 30 years of existence, I’ve never even seen a folk dance like the Tinikling, or the Pandango sa Ilaw in its entirety.
What about those folk dances I see on Wowowee?
just kidding.
You’re not kidding.
The slutbag booty shake is as popular as the cha-cha and todo-todo.
I little part of me dies inside whenever I’m reminded of the fact that shows like Wowowee are shown in other parts of the world. [/melodrama]
I live in America, and at “white” family gatherings and religious celebrations I ask my boyfriend to explain all the food and customs.
Hot dogs and hamburgers are pretty tasty. Did you know that French Fries aren’t French after all?
As for Ruben in the Debut, he acts as if a spaceship filled with inhabitants of the planet Pinoy Persei 8 has landed in his backyard. There’s no way that even a “coconut” like him hasn’t been exposed to this at some point in time.
I really just wish the story was more effective…had a deeper storyline, and shown more inner conflict in the Ruben character. It was a nice attempt, but it could have been so much more. I think maybe it could have been better if the acting wasn’t so over-exaggerated. Then again, Filipinos do like to go over-the-top.
Yes. We do tend to revert to theatrics to stress how emotional a certain situation is. But I honestly didn’t think it was as bad as some of the local films I’ve seen. Except for the character of Tita Alice, I thought the acting was relatively subdued. “Relatively” being the operative word.
Yeah, dude, I’ve seen the “local” films. They’re pretty over dramatic. Since when did the human body hold 50 gallons of blood?
Since some Chinese dudes back in the 50’s realized you could fill condoms with colored red corn syrup and make the most awesome action flicks ever.
Incidently, Wowowee is one of the main reasons I want to go to the PI. That show is mesmerizingly bad.… I wish more American game shows featured the desperately poor as contestants. It makes for good TV even if it lacks responsibility.
Other reasons I want to visit include the Chicken Torpedo sandwich at Jolibee and that whole “living-in-a-luxury-suite-apartment for 29 dollars a year” business. Oh yeah.. I’ve secretly always wanted to be the Green Hornet and I will be hiring a ‘Kato’ upon my arival.
i saw the Debut in a local dvds. though i’m not a Fil-Am, my sisters are married to putis so I feel I can relate to the film. In my sisters’ case, both of which live in LA, their husbands are not the caricatures of caucasian stupidity. they enjoy Filipino sweets and party food and they take stuff as they come. they never judge or comment about Filipino eccentricities. They’re in fact curious about how we do things, and how we keep things harmonious with friends and family.
they were never culture shock (except the time when my dad had his chemo for a year in my older sis’ home which her white hubby nearly went berserk because of the length of stay), but generally, I find my brother in laws very open-minded. So, i don’t agree with the portrayals of whites in the film.
This has by far been the most popular post on low-quality.net.
I think most American putis are into the culture. I think this is true of those of out generation who feel like we should be connected to a culture, but have no definitive one of our own. I didn’t meet Kim because I was seeking out a Filipino girl, I’m not one of those white guys who seeks out asian women to fill some subservient stereotype (a stereotype most Filipinas DO NOT fulfill!).. it just happened that way.
I’ve lived in Norfolk, Virginia most of my life and have been surrounded by Filipinos the whole time, but I never gave much thought to their culture. In a way it’s like meeting Kim has made me notice them for the very first time. It’s kind of strange.
Nevertheless I am not a buffoon around her family and I try to learn as much as I can about them.