A fair warning. If you're going to watch Respeto thinking it's all about hiphop and fliptop, please reset your expectation (so people comparing it to 8Mile, just stop). It's first and foremost a political movie, and depending on which side of history you stand, you'd either love it or get offended. I've already read some negative reviews, and believe me it's not about the photography or the quality of production (because both are outstanding given the tight budget used. Cinemalaya hello?!). I think it's definitely because of the theme. It attempted to be neutral, but its partiality is obvious, and that's good because the movie has bayagbag (double balls. You'll get it when you watch it). The theme is very timely as it bravely exposes the culture of violence in our country, how it's cyclic and embedded in our nation's psyche. It's also about poetry. And the poetry is beautiful. The script is excellent. Abra is a revelation. I really loved his performance considering that he had no previous acting experience. He was raw and natural. The supporting cast is just as good. Chai Fonacier is ❤️.
