It would probably be easier to cut the movie into 5 or so parts

Pre Jose
Post Jose
Reopening Barbershop
New routine
Post Father Arturo
And the Climax

(Names pending)

Im going to name some important scenes in each act right away and then detail how it affects or what
our characters did in it

Act I (Before Jose’s Death)

At night Jose becomes irrated from the heat and orders Marilou to close up the shop, He gets angry
when theres a simple accident where hair got in this food. Yet he has to leave for the night again by
request of the mayor to cut his hair, and Marilou goes to her friend Susan (Gladys Reyes) and Tessie
(Shamaine Buencamino) to attend mass.

What are the characters like so far?

Marilou: Shes our protagonist at this point in the story she’s a bit dejected, underappriciated and moves
with her head down. She feels like a husk simply going through the motions. Through out the movie
she has almost this straight faced expression and mannerisms. She doesnt show much emotions yet
feels as though theres hundreads of them racing in her mind.

Jose: Despite saying that the mayor called him for another haircut, He actually goes to the local brothal
and a local prostitute named Rosa (Sue Prado). In contrast to Marilous is at home missing him. Even
while he comes home drunk she still takes the time to cool him with water even though she suspects
that hes gone back to the brothal.

Father Arturo: The local priest nothing much happens here yet except that its shown that he is a kind
man who will vouch for others in the face of soldiers.

Susan: A friend of Marilou she is the wife of berto and sells lots of snacks. The most important part
about her is that she has a very large family and is on yet another pregnancy, almost all of their children
are girls and as of now has been hoping and praying for a boy.
Act 2

It starts off with Marilou visiting the local cemetary to pay respects to their late son, where on the way
back she meets with Tessie and her God Son Edmond (Nicco Manalo). She returns to find the
barbershop strangely empty with customers already waiting at the front. Upstairs she finds Jose in bed
having died in his sleep. She organizes a funeral event for him.

Jose: Dead

Marilou: The moment she finds Jose dead the sounds is quiet, shes reserved, horrified in silence, almost
as if not wanting to start a scene. At the funeral she ask Jose’s friend Ong Pong with almost a silent
anger in her question, she pushes it further but he stays quiet. Even when she’s being berated by Jose’s
sister or during the walk to where her husband is to be buried, She still has the same face, Blank, like
shes methodically thinking of what to do next, sigh that she has nothing in the village to hold her down,
neither her husband nor son and plans to move to manila. After the wake she returns home and
practices the technique that Jose told her about, and its at this moment she cries for the first time in the
movie like only now did it dawn on her that Jose really is gone now.

Susan: She finally gives birth to a son, yet shes more relieved that its a boy and pleases her husband.
And more tired of carrying the child than it being born.

Father Arturo: Hes the first one Marilou gives a haircut besides Jose and shows his nature to help and
guide others by suggesting that Marilou should reopen the barbershop and even giving her a
recommendation during a sermon.

Act 3

Marilou is a bit lost at this point as shes stuck between reopening the barbershop and thinking if people
would really trust a woman to cut their hair. She even comments that while he was alive Jose made all
the decisions showing that as of now she lacks independance as she’s so used to simply doing as she
was told and as her friends told her not to go to manila, she doesnt, her friends recommend that she
reopen the Barbershop so she does. Its not easy however even facing compitition from Ong Pong.

Jose: Still dead

Susan and Tessie: They clearly care very deeply about helping Susan even saying that she’ll give free
snacks to those who get a haircut to attract customers.

Marilou: Shes started to smile, joke around. Flattered by Father’s recommendation she reopens the
barbershop, yet her smile fades a bit when her barbershop doesn’t seem to catch on at the start and the
same stoic expression on her face when she sees Ong Pong.
Edmond: A student from Manila being sent there by his aunt is clearly a very vocal person, voicing his
opinions about martial law yet when told to stop talking about it he simply leaves silently fuming
seeming like he wanted to say somethng but didn’t.

Act 4:

This part has 3 important parts

For the first she hears movement down stairs where she finds a injured rebel and Edmond who begs her
not to tell the military as they come by to investigate. And has to cover for them.

For the 2nd She goes to the local brothal to talk to Rosa as she is the sister to Renan the rebel.

And 3rd She becomes the mayor’s new barber.

Were gonna bullet point some points on what she does and how she reacts to these events cuz they’re
all fairly spread out

Jose: still dead

Marilou:
1. A conversation with Edmond (More on him in his own points) Shows that she in turn cares deeply
for her god son and aunt tessie knowing full well the hardships she endures. Possibly projecting
because she both doesn’t have a son and knows full well how much that would hurt Tessie.

2. She brings Rosa to Renan, who was reluctant at first yet she looks her up and down as the prostitute
that knew her husband. Perhaps she understands that she was paid, yet still dislikes her.

3. She meets with the mayor Alfredo Bartolome (Nonie Buencamino) and gains his trust and even the
specialty pair of scissors inlaid with gold that only cuts his hair. Multiple times in the movie when shes
over and giving him a haircut he talks about how much of a mess it is and about how they’ll look down
on him. That and the scissors shows that he is a man who cares very deeply with his image. She also
sees Cecilia, the mayor’s wife and tries to dispell rumors about her.

Edmond: Revealed to be part of a rebel group his conversation with Marilou explains and
contextualizes his opinions of martial law as his girlfriend is revealed to be missing, even though he
cares for Tessie and his god mother he shows that he wants to also make a difference by being part of
the movement.

Rosa: The prostitute that Jose had been meeting with is filled with gratitude from seeing her younger
brother again, Shes surprised by the skill of Marilou’s haircuts and as thanks starts recommending that
her clients get a haircut, perhaps due to some level of guilt or the simple want to see a woman with
talent succeed.

Act 5

Business is going great however martial law tightens its grip on the village as people are even arrested
off the street Marilou but Edmond arrives again asking for help and somewhere to hide from the
military as he sees that staying with Tessie as too dangerous. She finds Cecilia crying and hunched over
in a confessional booth as she visits Father Arturo for his haircut who tells her about why Cecilia was
crying and compliments her growing skill as a barber not only gives Marilou wisdom and advice, he
also hands her a copy of Jose Rizal’s book.

Unfortunately hes found shot and killed the next morning.

Jose: Still dead

Marilou: At this point has set into a comfortable routine, she looks happier and feels like she has more
autonomy and control. shes more vocal, dispelling myths about the major’s wife

Susan: That night she ask to stay at Marilou’s house confides that she and her husband had been
fighting. Shes a tired woman, who sells food day in day out, yet her husband yet still pushes her and
shes pregnant once again. A growing anger builds up in her mannerisms, as if her faith is the only thing
holding her together. After this point she becomes a bit more cynical when it regards her husband.