The Masseur | Directed by Brillante Mendoza| Written by Boots Agbayani Pastor | With Coco Martin, Jacklyn Jose, Allan Paule | Released on 19 October 2005 in Philippines | Filippino, Tagalog, and English Language
Plot
Synopsis:
Iliac (Coco Martin) is a young guy who has moved from the country side to Manila, and is now working in a gay massage house in Manila in order to earn a living. His job as a masseur includes catering to the whims of his clients, which often include sexual favours. The movie introduces us to the seedy world of gay massage parlours, where we see the masseurs servicing their clients in adjacent cubicles.
In the movie, Iliac meets Alfredo (Allan Paule), a romance novelist who is his first customer of that evening. Over the massage, they each share a little of their stories and we soon find out that Iliac must return home to prepare for his father’s funeral, who has died after a long illness.
The masseur examines the roles that Iliac has to fulfil – as a masseur who needs to fulfil his professional obligations to his clients; and as a son who needs to fulfil his family responsibilities. As the movie progresses, we find our love lorn protagonist trying to win the affection of Alfredo.
