Regal Entertainment, Inc.’s Cuddle Weather is the story of two prostitutes, Adela (Sue Ramirez) and Ram (RK Bagatsing). However, do not mistake it for a porn movie. Cuddle Weather is more than that. Cuddle Weather explores the tricks of the trade of selling the flesh, like not revealing one’s real name to the clients, yet it also humanizes those who engage in it whether they are the sellers or the buyers.
Adela, at a young age, is already a nine-year veteran at selling not just her body but fantasies to men. With her multitude of aliases and their respective personas, she has built a decent life for herself, with a condominium unit to boot (a gift from a generous client). Adela is on the verge of getting out of the flesh trade. That is when she meets Ram, the promdi (from the province) who is forced to be a prostitute. As the eldest child, he does not want to be a failure in the eyes of his family after his placement fee as a seaman was swindled from him.
Ram the newbie is in dire need of a sempai (senpai) to help him navigate in the treacherous nightlife of a sex trader, and he looks to Adela to be his princess in a flowing gown (as opposed to knight in shining armor). Their casual meeting in a seedy motel turns into a business deal and then, into a comfortable companionship.
Their almost idyllic life (complete with sewing, cooking, and relaxing on rainy days) is changed when Adela pushes through with her plan, the plan she had before Ram.
Cuddle Weather is Sue Ramirez’ movie. She is flawless as Adela. She has no qualms in acting like a prostitute either in exhibiting her body in garish clothing or in uttering vulgarities, but she readily demonstrates natural vulnerability when the moment calls for it. Adela is fierce to the point of being crass, honest to the point of being brutally frank, but in her hearts of heart, she is a romantic who believes in fairytale endings. I believe that only Sue can manage to give justice to the character of Adela.
RK Bagatsing is stellar as the bagong salta sa Maynila Ram. He has that air of someone innocent and is eager to learn. He has a non-threatening vibe that exudes from the screen that makes the audience cheer for him to succeed. At one point, I thought he would not make it out of the boat that would result to an alternative ending. I worried for a full ten seconds, and I rarely worry for fictional characters for more than two seconds.
Adela and Ram more than just tell their stories as prostitutes. They grab the audience by the hand and experience their stories - beyond what words can convey. And they make the listeners care.
Together, Sue and RK light up the screen and they make Cuddle Weather a must-watch movie. And yes, they cuddle. As Adela says, “ang ulan kasi na ‘to, nakakarupok” (the rain makes one weak).
Cuddle Weather is written and directed by Rod Marmol. It is an official entry to the 2019 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP).
For a related entry, please read The Panti Sisters.
The following are the hugot lines from Regal Entertainment, Inc.’s Cuddle Weather;
“Kung ang iba, ipinanganak na matalino, na talented, o ipinanganak na mayaman, ako naman ipinanganak lang. Walang high IQ, special skills, o datung.” – Adela Johnson (Sue Ramirez)
“Happy birthday, mga puta.” – Adela
“New name. New life. Para hindi na ninyo ako mahagilap.” – Adela
“Eh, bakit ikaw kapitan, wala ka naming brains o skills. Walang imposible.”- Adela
“Hindi ka KD (kadyot demonyo). Demonyo ka lang.” – Adela
“Pokpok ka ba?” – Ram (RK Bagatsing)
“Naririnig kitang umuungol. Galing mo.” – Ram
“Kasi ako ang pinakamagaling. Kasi hindi lang naman libog ang benebenta ko. Binibigay ko ang pantasya ninyo.” – Adela
“Gusto mo bang ibugaw kita? Ano kikitain ko sa ‘yo?” – Adela
“Maghanap ka ng pangalang nakakalibog.” – Adela
“Seaman? Kaya pala lutang ka.” – Adela
“Hindi ko naman kailangan ng lalaki para makatakas dito.” – Adela
“Ah, pokpok ako! Pokpok ako! Eh, ikaw malungkot ka na, pangit ka pa!” – Adela
“Ano ang Yale? Eh, padlock ‘yun ‘di ba?” – Adela
“Alam mo ang rule ha. Kapag tinigasan ka, wala kang 1k. Palalayasin pa kita.” – Adela
“Kaya mo ba ng girl, boy, bakla, tomboy? Baka naman matuyo, mawasak.” – Adela
“Sabi ni Lord, puwede naman akong maging call boy basta hindi ako manlamang sa kapwa.” – Ram
“Alam mo ikaw pa lang ang lalaking nakatagal ng isang oras na hindi ako minamanyak.” – Adela
“Sempai, isang libo ko.” – Ram
“Uto-uto kang pokpok ka.” – Sue
“Dugyot naman ang brief mo, hinahanap mo pa.” – Adela
“Magulo ang buhay ko. Marami akong sekreto.” – Adela
“Lesson one, huwag mong gamitin ang totoo mong pangalan. Lesson two, walang fixed rate sa pagpopokpok.” – Adela
“Wala po kaming anak, pokpok po kami.” – Ram
“Ang ulan kasi na ‘to, nakakarupok.” – Adela
“Pang-rich lang ang cuddle. Wala ngang tagalog word ang cuddle.” – Adela
“Oy, hindi ka nag-JS Prom? Lungkot naman ng buhay mo.” – Adela
“Sayaw tayo. Bawal kiligin.” – Adela
“Kinikilig ako.” – Ram
“’Yun nga lang. Miss lang. Hindi mahal. Malayong-malayo ‘yun.” – Adela
“Gusto ko ng tumigil. Gusto ko ng huminto.” – Adela
“Wala ng lulungkot pa sa taong nawawalan ng libog sa buhay.” – Adela
“Akala kasi nila forever na ang pagiging puta. Hindi kaya. Pinagdadaanan mo lang ‘yon. Choice mo na if forever kang magiging puta.” – Adela
“Kailan ba naman huminto ang gastusin?” – Ram
“Hindi naman tayo masamang tao, eh. Iba lang ang trabaho natin.” – Ram
“Natatakot ka lang magsimula dahil ayaw mong mag-isa. Ang dami mo pang sinasabi eh.” - Ram
“Ang pokpok hindi nagsasabi ng totoong pangalan. Kung umalis na tayo ditto, sasabihin ko sa ‘yo.” – Adela
“Aalis na ako dito. Ito na ang huling pagkakataong tatanong koi to, sasamahan mob a ako?” - Adela
“Alam mo iniisip ko kung tinrato kitang puta, kung bonaboy kita, kung hindi ko pinaramdam na mahal kita noong nag-sex tayo, hindi ka siguro magagalit sa akin.” - Ram
“Alam mo ang hirap hirap mong mahalin. Ang mahal mahal mo.” - Ram
Adela’s mother: Anak, uwi ka na.
Adela: Tsaka ka kung buo na ako.
“Kahit mag-iba ka pa ng pangalan, anak pa rin kita. Anak kita lagi.” – Adela’s mother (Aleck Bovick)
“Nagdasal ako. Sabi ko sana makahanap ako ng trabaho, makapunta sa iba’t ibang lugar, tapos nakilala kita.” - Ram
“Maniwala ka naman. Puwede tayo. Gusto kita. Adela, mahal kita.” – Ram
“Libo-libong kama, libo-libong katawan … sa libo-libong iyon, ilang beses lang bang minahal ako? Isa o dalawa? Paano ako tataya sa isang iyon?” - Adela
“Paano kung mahalin kita ng sobra. Buong-buo. Nang hindi ko pa nalalaman ang masaktan?” - Adela
“Puta, mahal kita.” – Adela / Marie