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On the Job is an intriguing crime drama out of the Philippines that will please fans of old-school Martin Scorsese and Michael Mann. It focuses on the murder of a drug dealer named Tiu by two assassins who happen to be incarcerated criminals: the hardened, experienced Tatang (Joel Torre) and the brash up-and-coming killer Daniel (Gerald Anderson). The two men are smuggled out of jail by corrupt officials in order to off whoever is deemed necessary to die before being smuggled back in again. It seems like the perfect cover-up for any crime; after all, who would suspect someone of committing murder that, by all accounts, was trapped behind bars when the crime occurred? 

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Well Go USA has announced its plans to release Erik Matti‘s On the Job (2013) February 11, 2014. The crime thriller stars Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson, Joel Torre, Joey Marquez, Michael de Mesa, Leo Martinez, Angel Aquino, and Vivian Velez. Marquez and Pascual play a police sergeant and a federal agent investigating the assassination [...]

Continue reading: Home Entertainment News: December 16, 2013: On The Job, Ender’S Game...

Plot: Two inmates (Gerald Anderson & Joel Torre) are hired out by their prison as assassins. Released on day-passes, the two men eliminate political targets with ties to corrupt government officials, and as a reward are able to send money to their families, as well as spend the occasional night back home. Unbeknownst to them, a police inspector (Piolo Pascual) with close ties to the government is hot on their trail. Review: On The Job reminds me a lot of a South Korean film called...

Part Time Inmates: Generic Baddies Work Manila’s Streets

At this point in the history of cinema crime dramas have become a commodity for mere financial motivations and occasionally to throw in a big Hollywood star into the mix. Furthermore, the cops v. thief’s scenario has been so overdone it is hard to believe there could be any new twists, or a spin on the generic corrupt higher-ups, or a anything that would revitalize the genre. Erik Matti’s On the Job doesn’t achieve any of those feats; in fact, it actually makes use of several go-to clichés that cement it as a very Hollywoodesque tale that could easily be remade with a Mark Wahlberg or a Bruce Willis, which would make it even more run-of-the-mill.

Set in the Philippines, the film follows a par of criminals who are among few that are given a job with preferential treatment.

The Philippines gets their own “Infernal Affairs” with “On the Job,” a propulsive new actioner. It’s not a remake of that Hong Kong hit, but it features the same cops-and-criminals conflict and stock moral ambiguity that turned that earlier film, and “The Departed,” into an ethical funhouse mirror for its protagonists. And hey, the action isn’t bad either. If you wanted a Filipino film from less-skilled filmmakers who worship at the altar of Johnny To and Michael Mann, you could do worse. The film’s deceptively simple twist is announced beforehand as we spend a considerable amount of time with Tatang and Daniel, two hitmen who register kills in broad daylight before heading back into their cells at night. Yes, this is based on a true story: apparently prison inmates were being used as traceless killers to erase liabilities for crooked cops and politicians in the Philippines. It’s a great hook,...

It's a familiar problem for the criminal element: You need to rub your enemies out, but those pesky police always end up apprehending your shooters. The solution, as presented in Erik Matti's On the Job (and based on a frankly amazing real-life scandal in the Philippines), is to use prisoners—temporarily freed from incarceration with the blessing of corrupt prison officials—to perform political assassinations. The drama follows two of these prisoners, the world-weary "Tatang" (Joel Torre) and his up-and-coming hitman protégé, Daniel (Gerald Anderson). There's also a parallel story involving a golden-boy federal investigator (Piolo Pascual), himself the son of a former congressman, and a grizzled police sergeant (Joey Marquez) who may or not have told us...

Fantastic Fest kicked off its eight-day celebration of genre fare last night in style in Austin, Texas. This year’s festival has a new venue, the Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline, partly to show off the new digs and partly because the old ones at South Lamar are currently under a whole ton of construction. The opening night festivities were mostly centered around the marquee film playing at three of the Drafthouse screens: Robert Rodriguez’s new film Machete Kills, with Rodriguez, Danny Trejo, and Alexa Vega in attendance. Now, here’s the thing (and where this report, like the forthcoming ones, will diverge slightly from SoS fare): I didn’t get to see Machete Kills, in no small part because my desire to see it wasn’t exactly high. Yes, it’s one of the bigger events here, but I think an advantage to a festival like this one, as...

Ahead of its world premiere in the Director's Fortnight at Cannes today, Well Go USA has acquired all North American rights to "On The Job." Directed by Erik Matti, the Filipino crime thriller was inspired by a real-life scandal in which prison inmates were temporarily released from prison to work as contract killers on behalf of corrupt politicians. The cast includes many of the country's most popular mainstream actors, including Piolo Pascual and Gerald Anderson. "'On The Job' reiterates that it is an exciting time for Filipino cinema," said Doris Pfardrescher, President, Well Go USA Entertainment. "We are thrilled we were able to acquire the movie before its premiere in Cannes and can’t wait to bring it to audiences in North America." Following its premiere on the Croisette, Well Go USA plan to theatrically release the film stateside in the fall. "All the hard work and patience has paid off,...

Just hours ahead of its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival as part of the Director's Fortnight, Erik Matti's long-awaited Filipino thriller On the Job has been picked up for distribution by Well Go USA Entertainment. Featuring a bevy of top Pinoy stars such as Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson, Joey Marquez, Joel Torre, Angel Aquino, Rayver Cruz and Leo Martinez, On the Job is based on a real case of top Filipino political brass issuing day passes to incarcerated criminals in order to carry out hits. It's been almost four years since Twitch first caught wind of the project and following early test footage and a pair of recent trailers highlighting the film's stellar technical specs, expectations are sky high as the thriller hits...

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Well Go USA Entertainment acquired all North American rights to Erik Matti’s On The Job, a Filipino crime action-thriller, ahead of its world premiere in Directors’ Fortnight on Friday. The film is set for a fall 2013 theatrical release. Written by Matti and Michiko Yamamoto, On The Job was inspired by a real-life corruption scandal involving the temporary release of inmates so they could work as contract killers for crooked politicians. It stars many of the Philippines’ mainstream actors including Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson, Rayver Cruz, Shaina Magdayao, Empress Schuck, alongside vets such as Joel Torre, Angel Aquino, Vivian Velez, Joey Marquez, Leo Martinez, Michael de Mesa, Al Tantay and Niño Muhlach. “On The Job reiterates that it is an exciting time for Filipino cinema,” said Doris Pfardrescher, President of Well Go USA Entertainment. Said Matti: “All the hard work and patience has paid off. After almost four years, we...

A trailer for Erik Matti’s Filipino, thriller On The Job has now been released online. Based on true events, the film centers around crooked Filipino politicians who routinely employ convicts as hitmen. Starring Piolo Pascual and Gerald Anderson, On the Job is among the 21 films part of the festival’s prestigious Directors Fortnight section, which will be held from May 16 to 26.

Via Twitch...

A romantic comedy that seeks to reinforce the love team between singer-turned-actress Sarah Geronimo and Big Brother housemate-turned-matinee idol Gerald Anderson, Raz de la Torre's Won't Last a Day Without You does not stray far from the established story map and intention of a merchandized movie. It is feel-good, fun, funny, and extremely charming, like most of what Star Cinema has been mindlessly producing the past several years. The film is undoubtedly a product of formula, and quite surprisingly, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.   De la Torre is not exactly a newcomer. He wrote Cathy Garcia-Molina's A Very Special Love (2008) and co-wrote with other writers Garcia-Molina's You are the One (2006) and You Got Me (2007), two romances set in...